This flow visualization comes from the Youtube channel Smarter Every Day, run by Destin Sandlin. If you haven’t seen any of his videos before, I would highly recommend checking it out, he makes all sorts of content relating to mechanical engineering and flow visualization. I chose this video in particular because I truly think it is the “Best of Web”, the combination of science and artistry here makes an incredible and mesmerizing visualization of two colliding vortex rings, and the secondary effects of their collision. The link shown in the post starts the video as the visualization begins, but the full video is worth a watch to learn more about the methods used to created the visualization and the flow phenomena being captured.
2025 Best of Web – Two Vortex Rings Colliding
Categories
Flow Vis Guidebook
- Introduction to the Guidebook
- Overview 1: Phenomena. Why Does It Look Like That?
- Overview 2: Visualization Techniques
- Overview 3: Lighting
- Overview 4 - Photography A: Composition and Studio Workflow
- Overview 4 - Photography B: Cameras
- Overview 4 - Photography C: Lenses - Focal Length
- Overview 4 - Photography C: Lenses - Aperture and DOF
- Overview 4: Photography D: Exposure
- Overview 4 - Photography E - Resolution
- Overview 5 - Post-Processing
- Clouds 1: Names
- Clouds 2: Why Are There Clouds? Lift Mechanism 1: Instability
- Clouds 3: Skew - T and Instability
- Clouds 4: Clouds in Unstable Atmosphere
- Clouds 5: Lift Mechanism 2 - Orographics
- Clouds 6: Lift Mechanism 3 - Weather Systems
- Boundary Techniques - Introduction
- Dye Techniques 1 - Do Not Disturb
- Dye Techniques 2 - High Visibility
- Dye Techniques 3 - Light Emitting Fluids
- Refractive Index Techniques 1: Liquid Surfaces
- Refractive Index Techniques 2: Shadowgraphy and Schlieren
- Particles 1- Physics: Flow and Light
- Particles 2: Aerosols
- Particles 3: In Water
- Particles 4 -Dilute Particle Techniques
- Art and Science
- TOC and Zotpress test
- Photons, Wavelength and Color
2 Comments. Leave new
Second Prize – This was one of the videos that first came to mind when thinking about the “Best of Web”. The science behind the secondary rings that form is fascinating and is amplified by the way the phenomena was portrayed. The bright background contrasting with the saturated red and blue colors all captured on a high speed camera created a mesmerizing visual that I could watch for hours.
Second Prize – The secondary effects after the predictable flow turning into interesting patterns and chaotic turbulence is quite beautiful. The use of colors, different angles, and including different runs are quite effective here as well.