Transport in Unsteady Flows: from Deterministic Structures to Stochastic Models and Back Again (17w5048)

The Banff International Research Station will host the "Transport in Unsteady Flows: from Deterministic Structures to Stochastic Models and Back Again" workshop from January 15th to January 20th, 2017.

Transport in unsteady turbulent flows is an issue of central importance in many geophysical and engineering problems. The problem is challenging from a mathematical perspective because of the presence of both large-scale coherent structures and small-scale random motion. Recent years have seen considerable interest and progress in identifying large-scale structures such as oceanic eddies, the ozone hole, oceanic jets and fluid interfaces from observational and experimental data using methods based on rigorous mathematics rather than heuristic arguments. At the same time, a parallel line of research has been pursued investigating a stochastic (statistical) representation of transport by small, unresolved scales of flow. This question is complicated by the two-way nature of the interaction: the larger, resolved scales organize the smaller, unresolved ones - but these then feed back on the larger scales through nonlinear interactions. The ability to meaningfully model this process is becoming increasingly urgent in
particular for climate models.

Fortunately, there is an emergent dialogue between the stochastic and coherent structure research communities. This workshop will provide a springboard for solidifying these interactions by bringing together complementary approaches to a topical problem. A particular emphasis is the impact of the interactions between small- and large-scales on the predictability of flow structures. This workshop also connects experimental and observational experts in fluid dynamics, atmospheric science and oceanography with applied mathematicians with theoretical, computational and modeling expertise, in building a synergy between realistic and abstract approaches. Several promising early career researchers are among the invitees, with the goal of ensuring that the impact of this workshop lasts into the future.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides
an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disc
iplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineeri
ng Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional
de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).