Mathematics Colloquium

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Quiet Within, Chaos Without: Harnessing Turbulence For Function Across Scales

Speaker: William Irvine, University of Chicago

Location: Warren Weaver Hall 1302

Date: Monday, January 26, 2026, 3:45 p.m.

Synopsis:

Turbulence is synonymous with chaos, yet its velocity fluctuations are structured by the universal nonequilibrium Richardson energy cascade. Unlike molecular gases, this cascade is not constrained by equilibrium theorems, leaving open the possibility that its fluctuations can be harnessed functionally. I will discuss experiments that reveal avenues for doing so, using turbulence to drive function, with applications including sorting, filtration and selective delivery, as well as providing a new fundamental probe of turbulent dynamics.