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Prof. Ross Griffiths FAA
Research School of Earth Sciences
The Australian National University
Canberra 0200
AUSTRALIA
T: +61 2 6125 0711
F: +61 2 6257 2737
E: Ross.Griffiths@anu.edu.au
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Research Interests
My research interests include a wide range of geophysical and environmental
fluid dynamics, all involving experimental and theoretical studies
of the physics of fluid flows relevant to the Earth's interior, oceans
or atmosphere. I investigate the fundamental fluid processes of turbulent
mixing, thermal convection, multi-component convection, solidification,
instability in density-stratified flows, and rotating flows. I focus
particularly on the three areas:
1. modelling of ocean circulation (e.g. ocean currents,
fronts, convection and processes governing the general large-scale
circulation);
2. modelling of convection in the Earth's mantle
(e.g. upwelling plumes and sinking slabs); and
3. modelling of volcanic processes (e.g. lava flows
and solidification of melts).
I am currently concerned with the dynamics of convection and the deep
ocean overturning circulation, which is responsible for a large transport
of heat from low to high latitudes in the earth's climate system. How
does this flow and heat transport work? How do turbulent mixing and stratified
exchange flow between oceans and basins work? What could be the effects of
an increasing freshwater inflow to the ocean surface at high latitudes
with global warming?
Teaching, graduate supervision and student research
projects:
I teach ocean-atmosphere dynamics within the undergraduate
physics curriculum at ANU and in the Physics
of the Earth Honours Program. I offer undergraduate
research projects in experimental fluid dynamics and ocean processes
suitable for PhB and Special Research Topics in Physics. Honours
and PhD thesis projects are available in convection and ocean circulation.
Associate Editor, Journal of Fluid Mechanics:
The Journal of Fluid Mechanics, published by Cambridge University
Press, is the most respected research journal in the field. I encourage
you to submit research articles on original work of interest in any
area of fluid mechanics. You can submit articles to me or any of the
Associate Editors online through ScholarOne at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jfm.
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