Turbulence and fishways
Turbulence is omnipresent in natural and man-made environments, having a range of impacts on the biota in aquatic systems, from positive to detrimental to neutral. Lessons learned from fish habitats choices and fish swimming are applied to the context of fish passage to look at the importance of turbulence on design and performance.
Impact of gold mining in the Mazaruni river basin
In collaboration with colleagues from SEAS (Karen Alofs) and EEB (Hernan Lopez Fernandez), we are investigating the impact of gold mining on endemic fish species to the Guyana field. The mining strongly impacts the local fish habitats and water quality. With a combination of physical and biological measurements, we hope to better understand the needs of the local endemic fish species and how to best develop conservation areas in Guyana.
Sponsor: University of Michigan M-Cube
Physical and biological processes in Lake St Lucia
This is a continuation of my 2017 Fulbright activities. We plan to acquire additional turbulence data and wave measurements to determine the impact of physical forcing on the biota in Lake St Lucia. We have also decided to expand our collaboration to study Sodwana Bay and the interaction between local flows in coral reefs and the Agulhas current off the Eastern Coast of Africa.
Collaborator: Derek Stretch (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)
Small Bowel Obstructions (SBO)
More than 750,000 of Americans have an ostomy. SBOs are common after surgery for colostomy or ileostomy due to build-up of scar tissues and other factors. Typically, SBOs are resolved by more surgery, where the intestine or colon surrounding the obstruction is removed, resulting in an even smaller digestive system. More surgeries produce more scar tissues, which increase the risk of more obstructions and more surgeries. It is a vicious cycle hard to break once started. I am looking at ways to force the obstruction to break apart or move towards the stoma without surgery by superimposing different physical disturbances in the system.
Shoreline restoration – characterizing flow through marshes
Field and laboratory experiments have been performed to characterize the flow in marsh environments using Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter and underwater Particle Image Velocimetry. Variables include flow velocity, stem density and pattern.
Collaborators: Paul Webb (UM SNRE/EEB) and graduate student: Jenahvive Morgan (Ph.D. 2013).
Biofuels mixing in surface waters
Ethanol/gasoline blends are being promoted as “clean energy” alternatives and are viewed by many policymakers as key to reducing reliance on foreign oil and lowering emissions of greenhouse gases. In the effort to promote ethanol/gasoline blends as an alternative fuel, potentially major negative impacts on the environment post-production have been overlooked. Watersheds in agricultural regions are at an increased risk due to the decentralization of biofuels production. The impact of ethanol spills on the ecological health of a water body is assumed to be negligible since ethanol is biodegradable. As large fish kills attributable to ethanol spills have already been documented, it is clear that ethanol-based biofuels can pose a risk to the environment. Thus, the fate of ethanol-based fuels in the environment needs to be quantified.
Sponsored by NSF. Co-PI: Avery Demond ( UM CEE)
Experimental and numerical predictions of CO2 and temperature profiles in an occupied room
In recent years, a recognition of the negative environmental impacts of buildings has motivated interest in transforming existing building design practices and impacting future construction. Buildings alone consume 72% of the electricity produced annually in the United States; it is expected to rise to 75% by 2025 (EPA, 2009). Significant reductions in overall building energy consumption can be achieved using green building methods such as natural ventilation. Our interdisciplinary team is investigating these questions by focusing on the fluid mechanics aspects of the problem and developing global real time feedback building models.
Sponsored by UM OVPR. Co-PI: Lars Junghans (UM TCAUP)
Wind energy – Great Lakes Wind Assessment
In collaboration with Grand Valley State University and AXYS, Inc, buoys have been deployed in Lake Muskegon and Lake Michigan. LIDAR measurements have been performed to evaluate the characteristics of the marine boundary layer offshore.
Collaborators: Guy Meadows (Michigan Tech) and Frank Marsik (UM AOSS)
Mantle Plume Dynamics using 3-D Digital Particle Image Thermometry
This unique 3-D DPIT system acquires simultaneous temperature and velocity measurements by using liquid crystals as both temperature indicators and as particles. The crystals are treated as regular particles and their displacements evaluated to obtain instantaneous velocity and vorticity information. This new approach to Geological Fluid Dynamics has provided insight into the dynamics of mantle plumes that was previously impossible to obtain.
Sponsored by NSF. Collaborators: Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni (University College London), Stan Hart and Jack Whitehead (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) and former graduate student: Hank Newsome (Ph.D. 2011)
Shoreline restoration - the impact of boat wakes on fish habitats
Field experiments have been performed to determine the effect of boat wakes on fish distribution in different shoreline environments. The field site was located in Northern Michigan in Les Cheneaux area. Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter and wave gauges were used to evaluate the physical parameters. The long-term impact of this work will provide management strategies for the state of Michigan to regulate boat traffic in sensitive areas.
Sponsored by MI Sea Grant. Collaborators: Paul Webb (UM SNRE/EEB), Lorelle Meadows (now at Michigan Tech), Guy Meadows (now at Michigan Tech)