Courant Researchers Model Capsizing Icebergs
Researchers at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have found that icebergs capsize due to the unstable shapes they melt into, shedding light on the fluid dynamics behind the impact of global warming on major bodies of water.
A recent article published by the Courant researchers describes their mathematical modeling of the hydrodynamics behind iceberg capsizing. The team discovered that when ice floats in water, the submerged portion melts faster than the top half due to water pressure and buoyancy, resulting in unusual shapes and capsizing.
"All we do is put a piece of ice in the tank and by itself, and it starts capsizing,"
said Alison Kim, a contributing researcher and fourth-year Ph.D. The team created ice blocks in cylindrical shapes and placed them in room temperature water to study this phenomenon.
Their findings highlight the catastrophic consequences of capsizing icebergs, which can cause tsunamis and break up other icebergs due to their massive size.
Author's summary: Researchers model capsizing icebergs to study global warming effects.
- Research conducted at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
- Icebergs capsize due to unstable shapes formed during melting
- Team used mathematical modeling and experiments to study hydrodynamics