Numerical study of bubble transport in breaking waves

Bubble-mediated processes in breaking waves are directly associated with bubble residence time, penetration depth, and overall distance traveled in the water. To accurately model the exchange of momentum, heat, and gas between the atmosphere and oceans, an understanding of the main factors that influence the transport of bubbles in breaking waves is crucial. In this study, we perform high-fidelity direct numerical simulations of breaking waves to investigate the motion of bubbles. The bubbles created by breaking waves are resolved using the coupled level set and volume-of-fluid method. A comprehensive description of the Lagrangian trajectories of bubbles throughout the active breaking phase is obtained by employing the optimal network (ON) algorithm. The insights provided by the simulations and analyzed by the ON algorithm significantly advance our understanding of the complex interactions of bubble-mediated processes in the turbulent ocean environment.