Introduction

Hydrodynamics is the study of liquids in motion. Specifically, it looks at the ways different

forces affect the movement of liquids. A series of equations explain how the conservation

laws of mass, energy, and momentum apply to liquids, particularly those that are not

compressed.

Hydrodynamics is part of a larger field called fluid mechanics that studies how energy and

forces interact with fluids, including gases and liquids. Fluid dynamics is a subset of that

science that looks at these same materials when they are in motion. Aerodynamics is a further

subset of fluid dynamics that specifically examines gases in motion, while hydrodynamics

looks specifically at liquids in motion.

Hydrodynamics is largely used in engineering. Some studies focus primarily on the flow

through pipes, and over various obstacles. This is very useful information for building

structures that attempt to control or divert water flow in a controlled manner. Mathematical

equations attempt to predict the rate of water flow through a pipe, which is a laminar, or

uninterrupted, flow. They also try to predict with some level of accuracy the flow patterns of

turbulent, or interrupted, flow as occurs with an object like a dam.

Marine hydrodynamics is another major practical application of the science. A hydrodynamic

model uses the formulas found in the conservation laws to explain how and why water reacts

to its environment, and vice versa. Before the computer age, most of these models were small

scale recreations of real life scenarios. Today, hydrodynamic models are usually computer

generated animations, or formulas that can be applied to those same real life conditions.

Hydrodynamic models look at conditions in the oceans and other bodies of water, and can
predict various outcomes. Short term weather conditions can often be predicted by the actions

of the ocean. The ecology of an area can also be forecasted using these models, since the

most accurate models can show information like water level, salinity, currents, and

temperature. Scientists can tell, for example, if aquatic plant life will grow favorably in the

coming year. This is particularly helpful in areas like the gulf coast of the United States

where plant life in the water has an impact on the severity of hurricanes.

Definition of Hydrodynamics

(1) Hydrodynamics a branch of physics that deals with the motion of fluids and the forces

acting on solid bodies immersed in fluids and in motion relative to them — compare

hydrostatics

(2) The term hydrodynamics is applied to the science of moving incompressible fluids.

(3) Hydrodynamics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior of liquids that are in

motion. For example, The Principal of Continuity in Liquid Flow states that the

velocity of a liquid flowing through a pipe increases as the cross-sectional area of the

pipe decreases, and decreases as the cross sectional area of the pipe increases.

(4) the branch of science concerned with the mechanical behaviour and properties of

fluids in motion, esp of liquids Also called: hydrodynamics

(5) The branch of science that deals with the dynamics of fluids, especially
 incompressible fluids, in motion.

Branch of Hydrodynamics:

Radiation Hydrodynamics

Basic and applied research is carried out in intense radiation source development, ultra short

wavelength lasers, dense plasma physics, atomic physics, plasma spectroscopy, and nuclear

weapons effects simulations. The principal emphasis is in the development and application of

theoretical models and state-of-the-art numerical simulations combining magnetohydro-

dynamics, ionization dynamics and radiation physics. In addition, the program has scientific

collaborations with theoretical and experimental groups inside and outside of NRL in the

areas of: x-ray production from pulsed power driven and laser produced plasmas, radiation

transport and hydrodynamic flows, electrical physics of power flow and opening switches, x-

ray laser modeling and design, physics and dynamics of electromagnetic launchers, plasma

arc torch processing of shipboard wastes, z-pinch physics, basic atomic and radiation physics,

equation-of-state physics, theory of strongly coupled and degenerate plasmas, and strong

field effects on gain, radiative emission, and fundamental atomic phenomena.

Atomic Physics

The study of the structure of the atom, its dynamical properties, including energy states, and

its interactions with particles and fields. These are almost completely determined by the laws

of quantum mechanics, with very refined corrections required by quantum electrodynamics.

Despite the enormous complexity of most atomic systems, in which each electron interacts
with both the nucleus and all the other orbiting electrons, the wavelike nature of particles,

combined with the Pauli exclusion principle, results in an amazingly orderly array of atomic

properties. These are systematized by the Mendeleev periodic table. In addition to their

classification by chemical activity and atomic weight, the various elements of this table are

characterized by a wide variety of observable properties. These include electron affinity,

polarizability, angular momentum, multiple electric moments, and magnetism. Each atomic

element, normally found in its ground state (that is, with its electron configuration

corresponding to the lowest state of total energy), can also exist in an infinite number of

excited states. These are also ordered in accordance with relatively simple hierarchies

determined by the laws of quantum mechanics. The most characteristic signature of these

various excited states is the radiation emitted or absorbedwhen the atom undergoes a

transition from one state to another. The systemization and classification of atomic energy

levels (spectroscopy) has played a central role in developing an understanding of atomic

structure.

Laser Physics

The potential for laser-produced plasmas to yield fundamental insights into high energy

density physics (HEDP) and deliver other useful applications can sometimes be frustrated by

uncertainties in modeling the properties and expansion of these plasmas using radiation-

hydrodynamics codes. In an effort to overcome this and to corroborate the accuracy of the

HEDP capabilities recently added to the publicly available FLASH radiation-hydrodynamics

code, we present detailed comparisons of FLASH results to new and previously published

results from the HYDRA code used extensively at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

We focus on two very different problems of interest: (1) an Aluminum slab irradiated by 15.3
and 76.7 mJ of "pre-pulse" laser energy and (2) a mm-long triangular groove cut in an

Aluminum target irradiated by a rectangular laser beam. Because this latter problem bears a

resemblance to astrophysical jets, Grava et al., Phys. Rev. E, 78, (2008) performed this

experiment and compared detailed x-ray interferometric measurements of electron number

densities to HYDRA simulations. Thus, the former problem provides an opportunity for

code-to-code comparison, while the latter provides an opportunity for both code-to-code

comparison and validation. Despite radically different schemes for determining the

computational mesh, and different equation of state and opacity models, the HYDRA and

FLASH codes yield results that are in excellent agreement for both problems and with the

experimental data for the latter.

Marine Hydrodynamics

Marine hydrodynamics is a specialized field serving a broad industry range. It aims at

defining the forces on structures in the ocean and at predicting the associated motions.Marine

Hydrodynamics broadly refers to the engineering of boats, ships, oil rigs and any other

marine vessel or structure. Specifically, marine engineering is the discipline of applying

engineering sciences, mostly mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, to the

development, design, operation and maintenance of watercraft propulsion and on-board

systems; e.g. power and propulsion plants, machinery, piping, automation and control

systems etc. for marine vehicles of any kind like surface ships, submarines etc. Marine

engineers and naval architects are similar professions. However, whereas naval architects are

concerned with the overall design of the ship and its propulsion through the water, marine

engineers are focused towards the main propulsion plant, the powering and mechanization

aspects of the ship functions such as steering, anchoring, cargo handling, heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, electrical power generation and electrical power distribution, interior and

exterior communication, and other related requirements. In some cases, the responsibilities of

each industry collide and is not specific to either field. Propellers are examples of one of

these types of responsibilities. For naval architects a propeller is a hydrodynamic device. For

marine engineers a propeller acts similarly to a pump. Hull vibration, excited by the

propeller, is another such area. Noise control and shock hardening must be the joint

responsibility of both the naval architect and the marine engineer. In fact, most issues caused

by machinery are responsibilities in general Not all marine engineering is concerned with

moving vessels. Offshore construction, also called offshore engineering, ocean engineering or

maritime engineering, is concerned with the technical design of fixed and floating marine

structures, such as oil platforms and offshore wind farms.

Application Areas of Hydrodynamics

1. Ship hull design (hydrodynamics)

2. Propulsion efficiency

3. Pipe flows

4. Flows in pumps

5. Channel flows

6. Cavitation prevention

7. Cooling performance

8. Bubble dynamics

9. Hydraulic machinery
10. CFD code validation

11. Multi-phase flows

12. Fluid-structure interaction

13. Sediment transport

14. Hydro, wave and tidal power systems

15. Oceanography

16. River hydrology

17. Coastal engineering