Researchers from Coventry University and Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses have conducted an experiment to demonstrate how Earth's magnetic field influences internal flow patterns in the planet's core. Using a model called the "Little Earth Experiment," they mimicked Earth's interior by using a rotating tank filled with sulfuric acid and subjected it to a strong magnetic field. This setup allowed them to map fluid flow directions and velocities, potentially leading to more accurate theories about Earth's core dynamics than current models, which often overlook the magnetic field's impact on these flows.
The American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics held its annual image contest, showcasing stunning visuals related to fluid flow. Winners included a video demonstrating the orderly and stable patterns formed when too little material is printed too slowly using a 3D polymer printer, an image of a liquid drop vibrating in zero gravity creating a Medusa-like pattern, a photograph capturing the interplay between hydrodynamics and elasticity when objects are dropped onto a liquid water surface, and a video showcasing the dynamics of frost propagation on a cold surface. The exhibition, titled "Chaosmosis: Assigning Rhythm to the Turbulent," can be seen at the Cultural Program of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.
Physicists have discovered that turbulent convection can cause a freely moving solid within the fluid to rotate in two directions, sometimes switching due to turbulence. This research has implications for understanding fluid flows from Earth’s core to boiling water and highlights the key role thermal convection might play within the Earth. The study also suggests that turbulence can be controlled by interaction with solids.
