The video “Bubble-mediated gas exchange in turbulent multi-phase flow” won the Milton van Dyke Award at the 77th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2024.
Global temperatures have risen recently due to increased greenhouse gases, particularly CO₂. The ocean absorbs 26% of CO₂, largely through wave breaking, which generates bubbles and increases the air-sea interface. We study this process using turbulent two-phase flow simulations in controlled environments to understand the bubble-mediated CO₂ transfer better. Gas exchange at the air-sea interface is critical for climate regulation and marine life, yet the processes remain poorly understood. While bubbles and turbulence increase gas exchange, current models are still rather inaccurate. Recent advances in multiphase flow simulations now allow us to investigate these mechanisms more accurately.
The video presents the results of a collaboration of the CNR-INM with Sapienza Univ. of Rome, Newcastle Univ., TU-Wien and Univ. of Udine.