Article
Mechanics
David P. Schmidt, Majid Haghshenas, Peetak Mitra, Chu Wang, P. Kelly Senecal, Fabien Tagliante, Lyle M. Pickett
Summary: The past Lagrangian/Eulerian modeling is not suitable for the mixing-limited physics in sprays, while a new spray model based on mixing-limited physics has been developed and validated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIPHASE FLOW
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Julie A. Hope, Giovanni Coco, Samantha M. Ladewig, Simon F. Thrush
Summary: The study surveyed 22 intertidal sites to investigate the abundance, size, diversity of microplastics (MPs) in surface sediments and their potential impacts on benthic microalgae (BMA) in different marine habitats. The results emphasize the significance of plastic shapes and categories in understanding the relationships between MPs, biota, and ecosystem functions, as well as the importance of examining functionally different habitats separately.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Civil
Ashley M. Helton, Jennifer L. Morse, Elizabeth B. Sudduth, Marcelo Ardon, Raven Bier, Kristofor A. Voss, Matthew R. V. Ross, Joanna R. Blaszczak, Jessica E. Brandt, Marie Simonin, Jennifer D. Rocca, Alice Carter, Jacqueline R. Gerson, Emily A. Ury, Michael J. Vlah
Summary: In this paper, we describe the major contributions of Professor Emily Bernhardt to the hydrologic sciences. She has investigated the impacts of environmental perturbations on hydrologic dynamics and ecosystem connectivity, focusing on carbon, nutrient, and contaminant dynamics. Her research combines extensive field sampling, experimental manipulations, data harmonization, and continental to global-scale synthesis to understand the drivers and patterns of human impacts on water and elemental cycles. Her research approach explicitly considers connectivity and interfaces, making significant contributions across elemental cycles, ecosystems, watersheds, scales, and disciplines.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Boyang Chen, Bruno Fraga, Hassan Hemida
Summary: Bubble-induced turbulence enhances mixing and diffusivity by increasing agitation in the continuous phase. When compared with different aerator setups, bubble screens show better performance, being more efficient than increasing the gas flow rate.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paul R. Stumpner, Jon R. Burau, Alexander L. Forrest
Summary: Estuaries, as highly productive ecosystems, are under stress due to recent changes, but tools like the LE ratio can help identify and support healthy pelagic habitats. Increasing dispersion or spring-neap variability in tidal velocity can enhance productive pelagic habitats, showing potential for ecosystem restoration projects.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Fei Li, Peibo Li, Xu Liu, Hongbo Wang, Mingbo Sun, Zhenguo Wang
Summary: In this study, the mixing and combustion process of a kerosene jet injected into a scramjet combustor with dual-cavity at different global fuel equivalence ratios are numerically investigated. The results show that the wall pressure distribution is consistent with the experimental result. The numerical simulation reproduces the flame flashback phenomenon and reveals the changes in flame characteristics with different combustion modes and droplet evaporation.
AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francisco Martinez-Baena, Brendan S. Lanham, Ian M. McLeod, Matthew D. Taylor, Stephen McOrrie, Alyssa Luongo, Melanie J. Bishop
Summary: This study found that oyster reefs play important roles in supporting fish communities, and they have similar functions as adjacent seagrass beds and mangrove forests. The number of fish observed in oyster reefs is almost double than that in mangroves and seagrass beds, and some fish species are unique to oyster reefs and mangroves containing oysters. These findings contribute to the development of restoration and management strategies that maximize fisheries benefit.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carsten Spisla, Jan Taucher, Lennart T. Bach, Mathias Haunost, Tim Boxhammer, Andrew L. King, Bettany D. Jenkins, Joselynn R. Wallace, Andrea Ludwig, Jana Meyer, Paul Stange, Fabrizio Minutolo, Kai T. Lohbeck, Alice Nauendorf, Verena Kalter, Silke Lischka, Michael Sswat, Isabel Doerner, Stefanie M. H. Ismar-Rebitz, Nicole Aberle, Jaw C. Yong, Jean-Marie Bouquet, Anna K. Lechtenboerger, Peter Kohnert, Michael Krudewig, Ulf Riebesell
Summary: This study conducted an experiment in Raunefjord, Norway involving the simulation of extreme pCO2 levels in coastal regions, and found that high CO2 conditions significantly impacted the structure of plankton communities, leading to a substantial reorganization of the planktonic food web.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Peibo Li, Hongbo Wang, Mingbo Sun, Chaoyang Liu, Fei Li
Summary: The study investigates the mixing and evaporation process of a liquid kerosene jet in a scramjet combustor with dual-cavity using two-phase Large Eddy Simulation. Results show that injection pressure and the distance between the cavity and the orifice have critical effects on the quantity of fuel entrained into the cavity and the ignition environment.
AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Gabriel M. P. Perez, Pier Luigi Vidale, Helen Dacre, Jorge L. Garcia-Franco
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between synoptic-scale mixing and precipitation variability. It finds that organized filaments of moisture, known as attracting Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs), play a key role in precipitation events. The results also show that these LCSs are closely related to circulation mechanisms such as the intertropical convergence zone and monsoon systems.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2022)
Review
Mechanics
Boyang Chen, Bruno Fraga, Hassan Hemida
Summary: We propose a new modelling tool for the activated sludge process (ASP) that uses large-eddy simulation and multiphase Eulerian-Lagrangian coupling. Our model allows for interaction among the liquid, solid, and gas phases and provides insight into the fluid dynamics during ASP. By considering the dispersed nature of the gas and solid phases and the turbulent mixing in the tank, our three-dimensional model accurately describes the concentrations of different species and the Oxygen exchange. The model was validated against experimental data and used to simulate a realistic scenario in a wastewater plant, showing promising results for optimizing the process.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIPHASE FLOW
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Bianca Possamai, David J. Hoeinghaus, Alexandre M. Garcia
Summary: Biological communities in estuarine ecosystems are influenced by environmental factors such as salinity, rainfall, and river flow, with the El Nino phenomenon impacting species composition and diversity patterns globally. Food-chain length (FCL) is an important attribute in community ecology, with estuarine FCL showing resilience to environmental variability and climatic perturbations. In a shallow-water estuarine community, El Nino events were found to increase species and trophic guild richness, while FCL varied but did not follow the predicted trend during periods of higher rainfall.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Diego Ellis-Soto, Kristy M. Ferraro, Matteo Rizzuto, Emily Briggs, Julia D. Monk, Oswald J. Schmitz
Summary: Meta-ecosystem theory studies how organisms and matter move across landscapes to connect different ecosystems, with recent research highlighting animals as important vectors of nutrient transport. Empirical tests of this theory are limited due to its abstract nature, and there is a need for better integration of tools to predict the roles and impacts of animals on diverse ecosystems. Integrating insights from movement, foraging, and ecosystem ecology can help enhance the quantification of animal-vectored nutrient flows and improve the predictive power of meta-ecosystem theory.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Oliver N. Shipley, Alisa L. Newton, Michael G. Frisk, Gregory A. Henkes, Jake S. LaBelle, Merry D. Camhi, Michael W. Hyatt, Hans Walters, Jill A. Olin
Summary: By utilizing nitrogen stable isotope clocks, researchers were able to predict the time since immigration and timing of habitat shifts in migratory species like juvenile sand tiger sharks. Their study showed that these sharks predominantly arrived to estuarine habitats between June and July, with some individuals arriving as early as mid-May. The isotopically inferred arrival estimates were validated through comparison with acoustically tracked individuals, indicating the reliability of this approach for estimating time of arrival into new habitats.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andie Nugent, Steven D. Allison
Summary: This synthesis reviews research on the urban soil microbiome and develops a framework to integrate soil microbial communities with urban ecosystem function. The study identifies disturbance, altered resources, and heterogeneity as key drivers through which human activities affect urban soils and their resident microorganisms. Integration across disturbance ecology, urban ecology, and microbial ecology is crucial for managing ecosystem benefits in cities and understanding the consequences for environmental and human health.