78th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (Nov 23 — 25, 2025)
P034: Turbulence Meets Ice: Decoding the Equilibrium of Scalloped Geometries
Patterns such as ripples and scallops emerge on surfaces exposed to fluid flow from glaciers to industrial pipelines driven by interactions between turbulence, heat transfer, and evolving topography. Using high-resolution Large Eddy Simulations (LES) in OpenFOAM, we reveal how scalloped ice water interfaces reorganize turbulence, forming relief-locked dipole vortices that anchor within troughs and drive enhanced melting.Comparisons between flat and scalloped geometries show that scallops intensify near-wall shear, produce stronger thermal gradients, and increase melt rates by nearly 80% relative to flat interfaces. Validation against laboratory experiments confirms the accuracy of vortex dynamics, velocity profiles, and turbulence melt phase shifts.The results provide a quantitative framework linking interface morphology, vortex generation, and heat transfer, offering new insights into ice ocean interactions and climate modeling. The visuals highlight vortex formation, flow separation, and turbulence melt coupling with striking clarity.
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