Eric Ballouz
Postdoctoral Researcher - Stanford University
I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Turbulence Research (CTR) at Stanford University. I graduated with a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech in 2025, with a focus on computational fluid mechanics.
Broadly, I study the formation and breakdown of coherent structures in turbulent flows. Topics I am currently interested in are wall-bounded flows and oceanic turbulence.
Contact: eballouz@stanford.edu
Key words that describe my research
đ Wall-Bounded Turbulence
âŠī¸ Resolvent Analysis
đ Non-stationary Flows
Latest projects
Effectiveness of linearly optimal forcing modes at actuating the turbulent channel
We compute a pulse-like linearly-optimal forcing mode for the minimal flow unit, and inject it into a DNS of unit. We track the linear growth and nonlinear breakdown of the injected mode to test the effectiveness of the forcing mode at actuating the channel. Link
Orr mechanism and bursts in channel flow
We compute linearly optimal transient bursts for a turbulent channel at a moderate Reynolds number, and find that the optimal mode exploits the Orr mechanism, and that its timescales match bursting time scales found in DNS data. Link
Depletion of Reynolds stresses in non-stationary 3D channel flow
When a turbulent channel is subjected to a sudden transverse pressure gradient, the flow gradually re-orients itself. During this process, the tangential Reynolds stresses initially decrease. We use resolvent analysis and other linearized analysis to explain this process. Link