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A four-leaf-clover-shaped hydraulic jump
A four-leaf-clover-shaped hydraulic jump.
When a falling liquid jet collides with a flat surface, the liquid spreads radially until it reaches a critical distance, at which point its depth increases. This increase in depth is called a hydraulic jump. Typically, a circular jump is produced, but if the liquid is thickened, the formation of a polygonal or clover-shape may occur.
[This research was performed at the Fluid Dynamics Lab at MIT. John Bush, professor of applied mathematics at MIT and a past-U.S. National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development program awardee, is director of the lab. The work was performed by Jeff Aristoff, a recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship at the time.]
Credit: Jeff Aristoff, Princeton; John Bush, MIT
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