A computer can numerically track where multiple particles of air flow. But how can the computer represent that same data for the human eye? Computational fluid dynamics uses supercomputers to calculate the behavior of flowing gases and liquids, especially as they encounter surfaces. Although flow dynamics like this one are challenging to calculate and almost as difficult to visualize, such simulations show promise for replacing expensive wind-tunnel experiments and other empirical tests.

University of California, Davis: G. Garth, H. Krishnan, X. Trioche and K.I. Joy