Beauty in Chaos: The Unpredictable Science of Turbulence
by Omar Shamout
Aeronautics graduate student Tanner Harms studies turbulence. While many people might associate the word with a bumpy airplane ride, Harms says that is not exactly right. “That’s the effects of turbulence more than turbulence itself,” he explains. “Turbulence is actually the chaotic and unpredictable movement of fluids.”
Harms demonstrated this phenomenon in his lab with some water and dye. “Every time I put a drop of dye in the water, it’s not going to be the same. I do the best I can to replicate each drop, but no matter what I do, it’s going to look different—like a snowflake.”
Among many other real-world applications, studying turbulence can help researchers figure out the best way to contain oil in the ocean following a spill and to better understand how garbage accumulates in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a floating pile of plastic that is twice the size of Texas.
Harms presented his work as part of the Science Journeys program, designed especially for middle and high school students, on February 23 in Beckman Auditorium. To receive updates on this program, join the mailing list.
And without turbulence, Harms adds, there would be no life on Earth. Something to think about the next time you hear the familiar “ding” on an airplane warning you to buckle up. “Because mixing is largely driven by turbulence, a world with no turbulence might have pockets of dense oxygen and dense nitrogen, but they wouldn’t mix together,” he says. “It would be very difficult for there to be anything that could sustain life as we know it.”
One of the things Harms says he loves most about his work is its inherent beauty, and he learned to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of science from his mother.
“My mom was an art teacher and a graphic designer,” he says. “Growing up, I really developed an appreciation for the artistic and creative side of science. Understanding the world—there’s something beautiful in that. I mean, who would think turbulence is beautiful? But then you look at something like the surface of Jupiter, and it’s just stunning. You see the swirling and the Great Red Spot, and it evokes a sense of awe.”