H. P. Greenspan | |
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Born | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | February 22, 1933
Alma mater | City College of New York Harvard University |
Known for | Fluid dynamics Magnetohydrodynamics Centrifugal Separation |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Applied Mathematics |
Institutions | MIT Harvard |
Doctoral advisor | G.F. Carrier |
Notable students | Joseph Pedlosky |
Harvey P. Greenspan (born February 22, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York) is an applied mathematician and Professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is notable for theoretical and experimental contributions in various subjects such as wave motion, oceanography, magneto-hydrodynamics, rotating fluids, bio-fluid dynamics, mixtures, centrifugal separation and multi-phase flows.
Born in 1933 in New York, he received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from CCNY in 1953. He earned his master's degree in 1954 and his Ph.D. in 1956, under supervision of G.F. Carrier, both from Harvard University, where then continued as assistant professor of Applied Mathematics. At 1960 he moved to MIT as an associate professor of Applied Mathematics, and then Professor, until his retirement as professor emeritus in 2002. Greenspan, along with C.C. Lin, was a central figure in the development of Applied Mathematics at MIT, and served as chairman of the Applied Mathematics committee for more than a decade. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Technion, where he promoted the field of Applied Mathematics at this institute as well.
Along his career, Greenspan was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1966), a Visiting Professor and Fairchild Scholar at the Caltech (1987), received an Honorary Doctorate at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (1991), and was a long time consultant to industry and government and an editor of the 'Studies in Applied Mathematics' journal. He is the author of the books 'Theory of Rotating Fluids' (1968) and 'Calculus: An Introduction to Applied Mathematics' (1973).
Greenspan's academic career began with an investigation of waves on beaches (with G. F. Carrier). The result of this investigation, a now classical exact solution of the nonlinear theory, established conditions for the breaking of waves and as such remains a key element of tsunami research.
His study of the interaction of fluids and electromagnetism, was among the earliest in the field of magneto-hydrodynamics to describe the structure and role of the complex boundary layers, and the upstream precursor caused by the propagation of Alfvén waves.
In 1962, motivated by a technological difficulty with a fluid gyroscope, Greenspan initiated an inquiry of rotating fluids. The result of which, was a complete and compact theory, supported by simple yet profound experiments. These experiments demonstrated counter-intuitive results regarding propagation of inertial waves and the flow-control exercised by boundary layers. In particular, the paper on spin-up, [1] with L.N. Howard, is among the most often cited in the literature. His research monograph on this subject, [2] continues to stimulate research and to support scientific and technological applications.
To assist cancer researchers, Dr. Greenspan formulated a theory of tissue fluid dynamics to explain the growth, form, and function of tumor nodules. [3]
Scientific interests and industrial experience was synthesized in a patent for a centrifuge that separates, sorts and fractionates different particle species of a mixture in a truly continuous manner by means of an internal cascade of particle/flow diversions. He successfully constructed a patented prototype of an industrial machine at MIT that demonstrated the feasibility of the basic concept.
Cavitation in fluid mechanics and engineering normally refers to the phenomenon in which the static pressure of a liquid reduces to below the liquid's vapour pressure, leading to the formation of small vapor-filled cavities in the liquid. When subjected to higher pressure, these cavities, called "bubbles" or "voids", collapse and can generate shock waves that may damage machinery. These shock waves are strong when they are very close to the imploded bubble, but rapidly weaken as they propagate away from the implosion. Cavitation is a significant cause of wear in some engineering contexts. Collapsing voids that implode near to a metal surface cause cyclic stress through repeated implosion. This results in surface fatigue of the metal, causing a type of wear also called "cavitation". The most common examples of this kind of wear are to pump impellers, and bends where a sudden change in the direction of liquid occurs. Cavitation is usually divided into two classes of behavior: inertial cavitation and non-inertial cavitation.
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