Velocity, density and transport measurements in rotating, stratified flows

A technique is presented for measuring velocity, density and scalar transport in a buoyant rotating gravity current. Existing methods for combined PIV and PLIF are modified for use in a stratified flow on a rotating table and strategies for beam alignment, index of refraction matching, surface tension matching and photobleaching correction are presented. In addition, the PIV–PLIF technique is modified to resolve the velocity and density fields in a cross-section of the current perpendicular to the mean flow direction, allowing the transport in this direction to be computed. This is done by rotating the plane of the laser sheet 15° to the horizontal. This sheet angle is high enough that the entire cross-section of the current is contained in the viewing area, but low enough that horizontal PIV particle displacements are resolved. The technique is used successfully to measure the transport of buoyant fluid in a non-rotating channel to within 5% of the prescribed flow. Results from a rotating gravity current experiment are then presented and compared with previous experiments.