Words + Images

… vortex shedding in action. Ahem. In fluid dynamics, vortex shedding is an oscillating flow that takes place when a fluid, in this case water droplets from an humidifier, flows past a bluff body, which in this case I think are the leaves of the plants I have surrounding the humidifier. Hmmm. Anyway, when you’re stuck inside with a plasma physicist … well, I’ve learned that there are things I see as beautiful … and he does too … but he’s seeing something completely different from what I’m seeing and so I have learned when I see some cool effect to drag him away from whatever he is doing, point at my cool thing and ask, “So what’s happening here?” And in this case, he said matter of factly, “Oh, I think that’s vortex shedding. See the vortices forming there …oh, and over there …!”

And so it goes in our household at the moment. 🙂