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Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

Career

  • 1983–1985 Instructor in Applied Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  • 1989–1992 Assistant Professor, Departments of Engineering Sciences & Applied Mathematics and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University.
  • 1992–present DAMTP faculty member, now Professor
  • 1993–present College Senior Lecturer in Mathematics for Natural Sciences. Trinity College.

Research

The broad areas of Grae Worster's research encompass buoyancy-driven fluid flows, solidification and interactions between the two. He is particularly interested in the evolution of reactive porous media called mushy layers that commonly form during solidification of multi-component melts. Examples include the partially solidified regions formed during alloy production, solidification of magmas and the freezing of sea water to produce sea ice. Latterly, his research has been particularly focused on ice in our natural environment: sea ice, permafrost and glacial ice sheets.

Selected Publications

http://www.itg.cam.ac.uk/people/grae/publications.html

  • Wettlaufer JS, Huppert HE & Worster MG 2000 The solidification of leads: theory, experiment and field observations. Journal of Geophysical Research 105, 1123–1134.
  • Acton JA, Huppert HE & Worster MG 2001 Two-dimensional viscous gravity currents flowing over a deep porous medium. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 440, 359–380.
  • Chung CA & Worster MG 2002 Steady state chimneys in a mushy layer. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 455, 387–411.
  • Rempel AW, Wetlaufer JS & Worster MG 2004 Premelting dynamics in a continuum model of frost heave. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 498, 227–244.
  • Worster MG 2004 Time-dependent fluxes across double-diffusive interfaces. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 505, 287–307.
  • Notz D, Wettlaufer JS & Worster MG 2005 A non-destructive method for measuring the salinity and solid fraction of growing sea ice in situ. J. Glac. 51(172), 159–166.
  • Peppin SSL, Elliot JAW & Worster MG 2006 Solidification of colloidal suspensions. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 554, 147–166.
  • Peppin SSL, Huppert HE & Worster MG 2008 Steady-state solidification of aqueous ammonium chloride. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 599, 465–476.

Review articles

  • The dynamics of mushy layers (1992) In Interactive Dynamics of Convection and Solidification. NATO ASI Series E219, 113–138. Kluwer.
  • Convection in mushy layers (1997) Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. 29, 91–122.
  • Solidification of Fluids. (2000) In Perspectives in Fluid Dynamics – a Collective Introduction to Current Research. Edited by GK Batchelor, HK Moffatt and MG Worster. pp. 393–446. CUP.
  • Interfaces on all scales. (2002) In Interfaces for the 21st Century, edited by M.K. Smith, M.J.Miksis, G.P. Neitzel, G.B. McFadden & D.R. Canright. Imperial College Press. Premelting dynamics. (2006) Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech. 38, 427–452. (with JS Wettlaufer).
  • Ice. (2007) Euromech newsletter 32, 19–25.

Other Activities

Publications

Desalination processes of sea ice revisited
D Notz, MG Worster
– Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
(2009)
114,
C05006
Axisymmetric viscous gravity currents flowing over a porous medium
MJ Spannuth, JA Neufeld, JS Wettlaufer, MG Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2009)
622,
135
Simulation of directional solidification, thermochemical convection, and chimney formation in a Hele-Shaw cell
RF Katz, MG Worster
– Journal of Computational Physics
(2008)
227,
9823
A geophysical-scale model of vertical natural convection boundary layers
AJ Wells, MG Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2008)
609,
111
Conditions for defect-free solidification of aqueous ammonium chloride in a quasi two-dimensional directional solidification facility
SH Whiteoak, HE Huppert, MG Worster
– Journal of Crystal Growth
(2008)
310,
3545
Experimental verification of morphological instability in freezing aqueous colloidal suspensions.
SSL Peppin, JS Wettlaufer, MG Worster
– Physical Review Letters
(2008)
100,
238301
Steady-state solidification of aqueous ammonium chloride
SSL Peppin, HE Huppert, MG Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2008)
599,
465
In situ measurements of the evolution of young sea ice
D Notz, MG Worster
– Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
(2008)
113,
ARTN C03001
Experimental and theoretical modelling of ice sheet-shelf grounding lines
MG Worster, RAV Robison, HE Huppert
(2008)
Comment on “A quantitative framework for interpretation of basal ice facies formed by ice accretion over subglacial sediment” by Poul Christoffersen et al.
AW Rempel, JS Wettlaufer, MG Worster
– Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
(2007)
112,
F02036
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Research Group

Theoretical Geophysics

Room

H1.09

Telephone

01223 330850