University Calendar

Speaker: Longhua Zhao, Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University

Abstract: Fluid-structure interactions have drawn intense attention due to their biological applications. In this talk, two types of problems will be discussed. The first is fluid-structure interactions between fluid flow and structures such as cilia, helical flagella, micro-fluidic tweezers in the low Reynolds number regime. We utilize the singularity method to explore flow fields induced by ‘carpets’ of rotating flagella, processing nodal cilia and micro-fluidic tweezers. Using our model system, we are able to capture the phenomena observed in experimental studies. To better understand the transport of microscale loads or to achieve accurate control of micro-beads, we model a fully coupled helix (tweezers)-vesicle system by placing a finite-sized vesicle held together by elastic springs. The second problem is about simulating and modeling the dynamics of spider ballooning. The detailed physics driving this ballooning process remains little understood. We develop a mathematical model to identify the crucial physical phenomena that drive this unique mode of dispersal. The immersed boundary method has been used to solve this complex multi-scale problem.