WICL - Effects of Shear & Rotation Number on Turbulence Lifetimes in Subcritical Taylor-Couette Flow

"Taylor-Couette flow (TCF), the flow that occurs between two coaxial rotating cylinders, is a model for studying the fluid dynamics of turbulence. When perturbed, TCF transitions from a laminar to a turbulent state. We implemented a machine vision algorithm to record the duration of the subsequent transition back to laminar. We used new parameters to understand the effect of relative movement of fluid layers (shear) and average fluid velocity (rotation) on the duration of this transition. We identified relationships between shear, rotation, and turbulence duration, which can help predict when turbulence will be incited or suppressed in analogous fluid systems. Major: Physics; Minor: Mathematics My name is Quinn Donaldson and I'm from Denver, CO. In my free time, I love spending time with the people I love and admiring earth's natural beauty. I am currently studying physics at Willamette University and will graduate with the class of 2026. I first became passionate about physics in high school physics labs, where I fell in love with the way the subject allows me to systematically understand and predict phenomena of the natural world. I have applied this passion for describing nature in the Borrero lab, where we study how fluids behave under different environmental conditions. Going forward, I aim to combine my technical skills with my passion for nature through the pursuit of a Masters in Electrical Engineering with a focus on smart power systems and sustainable energy. Faculty sponsor: Dr. Daniel Borrero-Echeverry"