Evolution of Vortex Lines in Pipe Flow

We are investigating the evolution and stability of vortex structures in transitional pipe flow. We have designed and built an experimental setup to generate concentrated streamwise vortex lines in pipe flow. By tracking dye seeded into the vortex cores and randomly distributed tracer particles, we can reconstruct the flow and the precise evolution of the vortex geometry. We can furthermore study the distribution of energy and other physical quantities as the vortex tubes evolve. The goal of this project is to shed light on how vortices behave in the presence of walls and background flows, providing a new lens of analysis for modeling the turbulent transition and other complex flows.