Aidi Zhang (张艾迪）

My academic journey began at Sun Yat-Sen University, where I earned a B.Eng. degree in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Throughout my undergraduate years, I had the chance to explore a range of research subjects. I delved into optimizing methods for detecting structural damage and also immersed myself in simulating two-dimensional Rayleigh-Bénard convection. This latter experience notably sparked my interest in computational fluid dynamics. Parallel to my academic pursuits, I’ve enjoyed stargazing as a hobby since my middle school days. Fortunately, my path led me to the CFD lab at UC Berkeley, where my two passions seamlessly fusion into research projects that perfectly align with my interests.

My current research interest revolves around the application of fluid dynamics techniques to unravel the underlying physics in geophysical and astrophysical challenges. For instance, consider the Great Red Spot (GRS) on Jupiter – a persistent anticyclone within its atmosphere. I have developed our group’s home-grown pseudo-spectral-method-based code to handle the complexities of Jupiter’s atmosphere. This encompasses its notable compressibility (referred to as anelastic flow in fluid terminology) and encompasses phenomena that span a broad range of timescales. For example, the buoyancy timescale is ~10 minutes, the Coriolis timescale is ~10 hours, and the vortex turnaround timescale is ~5 days. I am enthusiastic about applying these fluid dynamic techniques to other problems and understanding the underlying physics behind them.

Outside of academic research, I enjoy hiking and photography. My camera often points toward the sky, capturing some pretty cool astronomy stuff. There’s something magical about those celestial moments. Let me share a couple of photos with you. First up, we have the Venus transit on June 6th, 2012, snapped in Guangzhou, China. The second shot is from the total solar eclipse on August 17th, 2017, taken in Madras, Oregon. Those were definitely some amazing sights. I’ve set my sights on catching another Venus transit, which is conveniently scheduled for the year 2117. So, you know, as long as I find the secret to live for another century, I’ll be there with my camera! 😉