78th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (Nov 23 — 25, 2025)

V051: Vortex dynamics of uprising underwater sphere penetrating through free surface

Authors
  • kaiqi zhou, University of Iowa
  • Cong Wang , University of Iowa

We visualize the dynamics of vortices generated by an underwater sphere rising and penetrating through the free surface. Using high-speed pathline visualizations, the video captures the formation of vortices during the sphere approaching free surface. The vortices merge, spread out, and eventually dissipate through interactions with the free surface. The unsteady free surface accelerates vortex breakdown and dissipation by promoting transition to turbulence and exciting surface waves.

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