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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

Modelling the response of an ice surface to a water flow in the context of ice thickening
J Pantling, K Cartlidge, MG Worster, SD Fitzgerald
– International Journal of Thermal Sciences
(2024)
204,
109232
Wrinkling instabilities of swelling hydrogels.
JJ Webber, MG Worster
– Phys Rev E
(2024)
109,
044602
On icicle ripples
MG Worster
– Journal of Engineering Mathematics
(2024)
145,
15
Squishy oscillations
M Grae Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2024)
980,
f1
A linear-elastic–nonlinear-swelling theory for hydrogels. Part 2. Displacement formulation
J Webber, M Etzold, MG Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2023)
960,
a38
A linear-elastic-nonlinear-swelling theory for hydrogels. Part 1. Modelling of super-absorbent gels
J Webber, MG Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2023)
960,
a37
The evolution of a viscous gravity current in a confined geometry
AJ Hutchinson, RJ Gusinow, M Grae Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2023)
959,
a4
Transpiration through hydrogels
MA Etzold, PF Linden, M Grae Worster
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2021)
925,
a8
Colloidal mushy layers
MG Worster, SSL Peppin, JS Wettlaufer
– Journal of Fluid Mechanics
(2021)
914,
a28
Thermal regelation of single particles and particle clusters in ice
J You, Z Wang, MG Worster
– Soft Matter
(2021)
17,
1779
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Research Group

Theoretical Geophysics

Room

H1.09

Telephone

01223 330850