Design and implementation of a large-scale experimental rotating platform for geophysical fluid dynamics

LU Xiaojie; HAN Guoqing; LIN Yifan; DONG Changming

doi:10.7638/kqdlxxb-2024.0223

English Version Journal Login

您当前的位置：

首页 >

文章列表页 >

Design and implementation of a large-scale experimental rotating platform for geophysical fluid dynamics

更新时间：2026-05-28

- Design and implementation of a large-scale experimental rotating platform for geophysical fluid dynamics
- Vol. 43, Issue 6, Pages: 99-110(2025)
- 作者机构：
  
  1. 南京信息工程大学海洋科学学院,南京,210044
  2. 南方海洋科学与工程广东省实验室（珠海）,珠海,510045
  3. 南京信息工程大学天长研究院,滁州,239300
  4. 浙江海洋大学海洋科学与技术学院,舟山,316022
  5. 加州大学大气与海洋科学学院,洛杉矶,美国,90095
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.7638/kqdlxxb-2024.0223
  CLC： O351.2;P731
- Published：2025
- 稿件说明：
移动端阅览
陆晓婕, 韩国庆, 林一帆, 等. 大型实验地球流体力学旋转平台的设计与实现[J]. 空气动力学学报, 2025, 43(6): 99−110.

LU Xiaojie, HAN Guoqing, LIN Yifan, et al. Design and implementation of a large-scale experimental rotating platform for geophysical fluid dynamics[J]. 2025, 43(6): 99-110.
陆晓婕, 韩国庆, 林一帆, 等. 大型实验地球流体力学旋转平台的设计与实现[J]. 空气动力学学报, 2025, 43(6): 99−110. DOI： 10.7638/kqdlxxb-2024.0223

LU Xiaojie, HAN Guoqing, LIN Yifan, et al. Design and implementation of a large-scale experimental rotating platform for geophysical fluid dynamics[J]. 2025, 43(6): 99-110. DOI： 10.7638/kqdlxxb-2024.0223.

摘要

地球流体力学是一门研究自然界中流体宏观运动规律的学科，在气候研究等领域具有广泛应用。旋转水池通过比例缩放和地形模拟，能够再现旋转条件下层化流体的多尺度物理过程，并捕捉海洋和大气环境的基本特征，在模拟自然流体运动中发挥了重要作用。本文重点介绍了南京信息工程大学国际地球流体力学研究中心已建成的大型旋转水池的设计原理和系统组成，该水池是全球第二个内径超过10 m的旋转水池（内径14 m，外径18 m），由大型水池主体、多密度水体交换系统、观测系统和多元分析系统4个部分组成，其中观测系统采用了自动升降装置和最新的光学测高技术，这是以往大型旋转平台所未具备的。此外，还展示了在其他旋转平台上开展的讨论涡旋演化和涡-涡相互作用的中尺度涡旋实验以及探索河口羽流分类及稳定性实验。结果显示：离心不稳定性导致涡旋出现缓慢衰减期，涡-涡相互作用导致涡旋出现快速衰减期，这两个因素是造成反气旋涡消亡的主要原因；涡旋在合并过程中向外扩散涡度，并在外界累积涡丝，形成反对称涡度，从而影响合并效率，反对称涡度引发的对流过程是涡旋合并的机制之一；陆架坡度对河口羽流的最大深度影响较小，但对羽流的宽度影响显著。该大型旋转平台旨在服务全球科研人员，促进国内外科研机构的深度合作，推动地球流体力学研究的未来发展。

Abstract

Geophysical fluid dynamics is a discipline that investigates the macroscopic motion laws of fluids in nature

with broad applications in climate research and related fields. Rotating tanks play a crucial role in simulating natural fluid motions by employing scaling principles and topographic modeling to reproduce multiscale physical processes of stratified fluids under rotating conditions

and capturing fundamental features of oceanic and atmospheric environments. This paper focuses on the design principles and system composition of the large-scale rotating tank constructed at the international geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory (iGFDL)

Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology. With an inner diameter of 14 m and an outer diameter of 18 m

it is the second rotating tank globally to exceed an inner diameter of 10 m. The system comprises four main components: the large tank body

a multi-density water exchange system

an observation system

and multivariate analysis system. Notably

the observation system incorporates an automated lifting device and employs state-of-the-art optical altimetry technology

features unprecedented in previous large-scale rotating platforms. Additionally

this paper presents mesoscale vortex experiments conducted on other rotating platforms

including studies on vortex evolution and vortex-vortex interactions

as well as experiments exploring the classification and stability of estuarine plumes. The results show that: (1) Centrifugal instability leads to a slow decay phase of vortices

while vortex-vortex interactions induce rapid decay

both being key factors in the dissipation of anticyclonic vortices; (2) During vortex merging

vorticity diffuses outward

accumulating vortex filaments and generating asymmetric vorticity

which affects merging efficiency—convective processes driven by asymmetric vorticity constitute one mechanism of vortex merging; (3) Shelf slope has minimal influence on the maximum depth of estuarine plumes but significantly affects their width. This large rotating tank platform aims to serve researchers worldwide

foster in-depth collaboration between domestic and international institutions

and advance the future development of geophysical fluid dynamics research.

关键词

Keywords

references

PEDLOSKY J. An inertial theory of the equatorial undercurrent[J]. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 1987, 17(11): 1978−1985. doi: 10.1175/1520-0485(1987)0171978:AITOTE2.0.CO;2

穆穆, 季仲贞, 王斌, 等. 地幔对流的流体力学特征[J]. 地球物理学报, 2003, 46(3): 357–366.

ROISIN B C, BECKERS J M. Introduction to geophysical fluid dynamics[M]. MA, USA: Elsevier, 2011.

LIN W T, DONG W J. The computational geophysical fluid dynamics: review, progress and prospect[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2004, 19(4): 599−604(in Chinese). doi: 10.3321/j.issn:1001-8166.2004.04.017

王斌, 翁衡毅. 地球物理流体动力学导论[M]. 北京: 海洋出版社, 1981.

PRICE J F, SUNDERMEYER M A. Stratified Ekman layers[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 1999, 104(C9): 20467−20494. doi: 10.1029/1999JC900164

董昌明. 物理海洋学导论[M]. 北京: 科学出版社, 2019.

WANG F C, (LÜ/LV/LU/LYU) H M, WU D X. Rotating table for experiments of geophysical fluid dynamics ──A brief description of no. 2 rotating table of the physical oceanography laboratory of the ocean university of Qingdao[J]. Periodical of Ocean University of China, 1994, 24(4): 590−592(in Chinese).

VIDARD A, ANDERSOND L T, BALMASEDA M. Impact of ocean observation systems on ocean analysis and seasonal forecasts[J]. Monthly Weather Review, 2007, 135(2): 409–429.

MAKWINJA R, INAGAKI Y, TESFAMICHAEL S G, et al. Novel methods for monitoring low chlorophyll-a concentrations in the large, oligotrophic Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa[J]. Journal of Environmental Management, 2024, 364: 121462. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121462

SULLIVAN P P, MCWILLIAMS J C, MOENG C H. Simulation of turbulent flow over idealized water waves[J]. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2000, 404: 47–85.

ZHANG W W, NOACK B R. Artificial intelligence in fluid mechanics[J]. Acta Mechanica Sinica, 2021, 37(12): 1715−1717. doi: 10.1007/s10409-021-01154-3

TURNER J S. Development of geophysical fluid dynamics: The influence of laboratory experiments[J]. Applied Mechanics Reviews, 2000, 53(3): R11−R22. doi: 10.1115/1.3097340

MACKIN K J, COOK-SMITH N, I LLARI L, et al. The effectiveness of rotating tank experiments in teaching undergraduate courses in atmospheres, oceans, and climate sciences[J]. Journal of Geoscience Education, 2012, 60(1): 67–82.

CAO Y, MENG J, CHEN X. Application of the rotating platform in the hydrodynamics experiment[J]. Laboratory Science, 2019, 22(3): 181−185,189(in Chinese). doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-4305.2019.03.047

DONG C M, LU X J, LIU Y L, et al. Rotating tank experiments for the study of geophysical fluid dynamics[J]. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2024, 42(5): 1385−1398. doi: 10.1007/s00343-024-3221-y

RODDA C, SAVARO C, DAVIS G, et al. Experimental observations of internal wave turbulence transition in a stratified fluid[J]. Physical Review Fluids, 2022, 7(9): 094802. doi: 10.1103/physrevfluids.7.094802

RODDA C, SAVARO C, BOUILLAUT V, et al. From internal waves to turbulence in a stably stratified fluid[J]. Physical Review Letters, 2023, 131(26): 264101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.131.264101

NEGRETTI M E, FLÒR J B, HOPFINGER E J. Development of gravity currents on rapidly changing slopes[J]. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2017, 833: 70−97. doi: 10.1017/jfm.2017.696

MARTIN A, NEGRETTI M E, HOPFINGER E J. Development of gravity currents on slopes under different interfacial instability conditions[J]. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2019, 880: 180−208. doi: 10.1017/jfm.2019.713

VINCZE M, FENYVESI N, KLEIN M, et al. Evidence for wind-induced Ekman layer resonance based on rotating tank experiments[J]. EPL (Europhysics Letters), 2019, 125(4): 44001. doi: 10.1209/0295-5075/125/44001

PIRRO A, MENNA M, MAURI E, et al. Rossby waves driven by the Mid Mediterranean Jet impact the Eastern Mediterranean mesoscale dynamics[J]. Scientific Reports, 2024, 14(1): 29598. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-80293-6

STEWART K D, SHAKESPEARE C J, DOSSMANN Y, et al. A simple technique for developing and visualising stratified fluid dynamics: The hot double-bucket[J]. Experiments in Fluids, 2021, 62(5): 103. doi: 10.1007/s00348-021-03190-y

ECONOMIDOU M, HUNT G R. Density stratified environments: The double-tank method[J]. Experiments in Fluids, 2009, 46(3): 453−466. doi: 10.1007/s00348-008-0571-8

AFANASYEV Y D, RHINES P B, LINDAHL E G. Velocity and potential vorticity fields measured by altimetric imaging velocimetry in the rotating fluid[J]. Experiments in Fluids, 2009, 47(6): 913−926. doi: 10.1007/s00348-009-0689-3

韩国庆. 岛屿对局地海洋动力过程的影响及岛屿尾涡的稳定性分析[D]. 南京: 南京信息工程大学, 2020. doi: 10.27248/d.cnki.gnjqc.2020.000838

HAN G Q, DONG C M, YANG J S, et al. Strain evolution and instability of an anticyclonic eddy from a laboratory experiment[J]. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021, 8: 645531. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.645531

FU M H, HAN G Q, LU X J, et al. Analysis of vortex merging from a rotating tank laboratory experiment[J]. Progress in Oceanography, 2024, 222: 103227. doi: 10.1016/j.pocean.2024.103227

伏铭涵. 中尺度涡旋合并过程分析[D]. 南京: 南京信息工程大学, 2024. doi: 10.27248/d.cnki.gnjqc.2024.000851

NASH J D, MOUM J N. River plumes as a source of large-amplitude internal waves in the coastal ocean[J]. Nature, 2005, 437(7057): 400−403. doi: 10.1038/nature03936

YUAN Y P, HORNER-DEVINE A R, AVENER M, et al. The role of periodically varying discharge on river plume structure and transport[J]. Continental Shelf Research, 2018, 158: 15−25. doi: 10.1016/j.csr.2018.02.009

CHAPMAN D C, LENTZ S J. Trapping of a coastal density front by the bottom boundary layer[J]. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 1994, 24(7): 1464−1479. doi: 10.1175/1520-0485(1994)0241464:toacdf2.0.co;2

BLANTON J O. Ocean currents along a nearshore frontal zone on the continental shelf of the southeastern United States[J]. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 1981, 11(12): 1627−1637. doi: 10.1175/1520-0485(1981)0111627:ocaanf2.0.co;2

MÜNCHOW A, GARVINE R W. Dynamical properties of a buoyancy-driven coastal current[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 1993, 98(C11): 20063−20077. doi: 10.1029/93JC02112

YUAN Y P, TAN X Y, LIN Y T. Effect of sloping bottom on river plume dynamics on a laboratory-scale rotating table[J]. Frontiers in Marine Science, 2023, 10: 1126088. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1126088

YUAN Y P, SONG H C, WANG Y T, et al. Baroclinic instability induced mesoscale and submesoscale processes in river plumes: A laboratory investigation on a rotating tank[J]. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 2024, 129(12): e2024JC021436. doi: 10.1029/2024JC021436

Views

下载量

CSCD

Alert me when the article has been cited

提交

Tools

Publicity Resources

Dynamic ablation morphology measurement of thermal protection materials using structured light vision

Optimization of hot-air anti-icing structures based on neural networks and genetic algorithms

Analysis of damping and cross dynamic derivative characteristics for a quasi-HyTRV lifting body

Positivity-preserving strategies and their comparision based on staggered CPR methods

Multi-factor analysis and simulation of particle erosion characteristics of fan blades

Related Author

No data

Related Institution

No data

AI问答

⁰