The focus of this research program is the investigation of various hydrodynamic effects on shape, speed, stability, and extinction limits of premixed gas flames. Various modeling techniques will be employed to reduce the study of pertinent combustion systems to simple approximate problems tractable either analytically or numerically. Specific study topics are: (1) large-scale dynamics of premixed flames propagating through isotropic systems of small-scale eddies and the associated cascade-renormalization concept of turbulent flame speed; (2) extinction limits of premixed flames propagating through a periodic and a randomized system of eddies; (3) intrinsic dynamics and pattern formation in premixed flames and the related questions of flame stabilization and nonadiabaticity; and, (4) effects of natural convection on the dynamics of auto-catalytic reaction fronts in liquid solutions and the related questions of premixed gas combustion. Turbulent combustion is a very important area of practical interest; results of this work should influence the design of automotive, aircraft, and rocket engines as well as industrial combustion devices. The efficient use of fuels and minimization of production of air pollutants via combustion processes are dependent on development of a good understanding of the fundamental issues addressed in this work.
