Flow · Heat · Mass Transport

Understanding complex environmental flows—across scales.

We combine high-fidelity computational modeling, theory, and predictive tools to study wildland-fire and smoke dynamics, atmospheric turbulence, and coupled transport at the land–atmosphere interface.

  • Wildland fire & smoke
  • Atmospheric turbulence
  • Complex terrain
Animated simulation of a buoyant smoke plume evolving through the atmospheric boundary layer
Featured simulation: Buoyant plume evolution in a turbulent atmosphere Large-eddy simulation

Research focus

Physics-driven research for environmental challenges

Our work examines how turbulence, surface properties, thermal forcing, and complex geometry interact to control environmental flow and transport. We translate that understanding into models that support prediction and decision-making.

Wildland fire and atmospheric dynamics

Coupled fire–atmosphere processes, buoyant plume behavior, smoke transport, and firebrand dispersal in wildland and wildland–urban environments.

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Land–atmosphere interaction

Turbulent flow and scalar transport over complex terrain, urban surfaces, and plant canopies under changing atmospheric conditions.

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Predictive thermo-fluid models

Prognostic tools for temperature, moisture, ignition potential, building energy, and other coupled heat- and mass-transfer problems.

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Our approach

From fundamental physics to useful prediction

Environmental transport problems are inherently multiphysics and multiscale. We use complementary methods to isolate controlling processes, test scientific hypotheses, and develop models with practical value.

  1. 1Resolve the governing physicsUse high-fidelity numerical simulations to expose mechanisms that are difficult to isolate experimentally.
  2. 2Connect scales and disciplinesCouple fluid dynamics with heat transfer, atmospheric processes, and particle or material response.
  3. 3Build and evaluate predictive toolsTranslate physical understanding into models and assess their performance against experimental and field observations.