For More Information

• Turbulence and Combustion High-Performance Modeling Lab

Education

• Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering University of California, San Diego 2000
• M.S. Mechanical Engineering University of California, San Diego 1998
• M.S. Applied Mathematics Ecole Centrale Paris, France 1995
• B.S. Electrical Engineering University of Sevilla, Spain 1995

Academic Positions

• Professor, Mechanical Science and Engineering, UIUC, August 16, 2017-date
• Associate Professor, Mechanical Science and Engineering, UIUC, August 16, 2012-August 15, 2017
• Faculty Affiliate, Department of Computational Science and Engineering, UIUC, October 2006-date
• Assistant Professor, Mechanical Science and Engineering, UIUC, October 2006-August 15, 2012
• Senior Research Fellow, Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, March 2005-October 2006
• Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, November 2001-February 2005
• Lecturer, Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, October 2003- December 2003
• Postdoctoral Associate, ONERA, France, September 2000-September 2001
• Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, September 1996-August 2000

Research Statement

Professor Pantano research on turbulent flows with special focus to combustion, fluid-structure interaction and numerical methods for accurate simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations in simple and complex domains. Reactions of even the simplest hydrocarbon, such as methane, can involve hundreds of species. More practical liquid hydrocarbons involve multiple phases and thousands of reactions. It is important, therefore, to have an accurate way to compute the turbulence and chemistry interaction without having to compute all the intricate details of the chemistry. He is currently working on developing a model that "collapses" the details of the flame structure, where the energy conversion takes place, as it interacts with turbulence. In the area of fluid-structure interaction he is involved in the large-scale simulation of inflatable structures and their interactions with high-speed flows. These are flexible, fabric-like structures, that can experience very large deformations and couple to the flow stability (or instability) at high Reynolds numbers. Finally, he is actively developing numerical methods for embedded representation of complex geometrical objects. He is interested in high-order and stable numerical methods as well as adaptive mesh refinement.

Selected Articles in Journals

• Wu, S., K. Christensen, and C. Pantano, "A DNS study of large-scale amplitude modulation in rough turbulent channel flow," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 863, 407-453, 2019.
• Sharan, N., C. Pantano and D. Bodony, "Time-Stable Overset Grid Method for Hyperbolic Problems using Summation-by-Parts Operators." Journal of Computational Physics, in press, 2018.
• Prathama, A. and C. Pantano, "Inviscid linear stability analysis of two vertical columns of different densities in a gravity field," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 826, R4, 2017.
• Saurel, R. and C. Pantano, "Diffuse Interface Capturing Methods for Compressible Two-Phase Flows," Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 50, 105-130, 2018.
• Pantano, C., R. Saurel, and T. Schmitt, "An oscillation free shock-capturing method for compressible van der Waals supercritical fluid flows," Journal of Computational Physics, 335, 780-811, 2017.
• Smith, T., D. Petty, and C. Pantano, "A Roe-like numerical method for weakly hyperbolic systems of equations in conservation and non-conservation form," Journal of Computational Physics, 316, 117-138, 2016.
• Tiwari, A., C. Pantano, and J. Freund, "Growth-and-Collapse Dynamics of Small Bubble Clusters Near A Wall," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 775, 1-23, 2015.
• Knaus, R. and C. Pantano, "A computational approach to flame hole dynamics using an embedded manifold approach," Journal of Computational Physics, 296, 209-240, 2015.
• Lu, X. and C. Pantano, "Linear Stability Analysis of a Premixed Flame with Transverse Shear," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 765, 150-166, 2015.
• Uddin, H., R. Kramer, C. Pantano, K. Kramer, V. Tang, R. Sacks, G. Moses, R. Hunt, J. DeMuth, H. Scott, and M. Dunne, "Integrated Inertial Fusion Energy Chamber Dynamics and Response," Fusion Engineering and Design, 89(12), 3131-3148, 2014.
• Liao, K.-P., M. Matalon, and C. Pantano, "A flow pattern that sustains an edge flame in a straining mixing layer with finite thermal expansion," Proceedings of the Combustion Symposium, 35(1), 1015-1021, 2015.
• Uddin, H., R.J. Kramer, and C. Pantano, "A Cartesian-based Embedded Geometry Technique for Compressible Flow with Adaptive High-order Finite Differences," Journal of Computational Physics, 262(1), 379-407, 2014.
• Tiwari, A., J.B. Freund, and C. Pantano, "A Diffuse Interface Model with Immiscibility Preservation," Journal of Computational Physics, 252(1), 290-309, 2013.
• Kramer, R.J., F. Cirak, and C. Pantano, "Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulations of a Tension-Cone Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator for Atmospheric Entry," AIAA Journal, 51(7), 1640-1656, 2013.
• Ranjan, R. and C. Pantano, "A Collocated Method for the Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations Inspired by the Box Scheme," Journal of Computational Physics, 232(1), 346-382, 2013.
• Knaus, R., J. Oefelein, and C. Pantano, "On the Relationship between the Statistics of the Resolved and True Rate of Dissipation of Mixture Fraction," Flow, Turbulence and Combustion, 89(1), 37-71, 2012.
• Latkowski, J. F., R. P. Abbott, S. Aceves, T. Anklam, A. W. Cook, J. DeMuth, L. Divol, B. El-Dasher, J. C. Farmer, D. Flowers, M. Fratoni, T. Heltemes, J. Kane, K. J. Kramer, R. Kramer, A. Lafuente, G. A. Loosmore, K. R. Morris, G. A. Moses, B. Olson, C. Pantano, S. Reyes, M. Rhodes, R. Sawicki, H. Scott, M. Tabak, and S. Wilks, "Chamber Design for the Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (Life) Engine," Fusion Science and Technology, 60(1), 54-60, 2011.
• Ranjan, R., C. Pantano, and P. Fischer, "Direct Simulation of Heat Transfer in a Turbulent Swept Flow over a Wire in a Channel," International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 54(21), 4636-4654, 2011.
• Karagiozis, K., R. Kamakoti, F. Cirak and C. Pantano, "A Computational Study of Supersonic Disk-gap-band Parachutes using Large-eddy Simulation Coupled to a Structural Membrane," Journal of Fluids and Structures, 27(1), 175-192, 2011.
• Shukla, R. K., C. Pantano, and J. B. Freund, "An Interface Capturing Method for the Simulation of Multi-phase Compressible Flows," Journal of Computational Physics, 229:19, 7411-7439, 2010.
• Ranjan, R., C. Pantano, and P. Fischer, "Direct Simulation of Turbulent Swept Flow Over a Wire in a Channel," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 651, 165-209, 2010.
• Matheou, G., A. M. Bonanos, C. Pantano, and P. E. Dimotakis, "Large-eddy Simulation of Mixing in a Recirculating Shear Flow," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 646, 375-414, 2010.
• Liao, K.-P. and C. Pantano, "A Numerical Study of Reignition Induced by a Diffusion Flame," Combustion Theory and Modelling, 13(6), 1025-1052, 2010.
• Kramer, R. M. J., D. I. Pullin, D. I. Meiron, and C. Pantano, "Shock-resolved Navier-Stokes Simulation of the Reflected-shock Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 642, 421-443, 2010.
• Karagiozis, K., R. Kamakoti, and C. Pantano, "A Low Numerical Dissipation Immersed Interface Method for the Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations," Journal of Computational Physics, 229, 701-727, 2010.
• Kamakoti, R. and C. Pantano, "High-order Narrow Stencil Finite-difference Approximations of Second-order Derivatives Involving Variable Coefficients," SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing, 31(6), 4222-4243, 2009.
• Kramer, R. M. J., C. Pantano, and D. I. Pullin, "Nondissipative and Energy-Stable, High-Order Finite-Difference Interface Schemes for 2-D Patch-refined Grids," Journal of Computational Physics, 228:14, 5280-5297, 2009.
• Knaus, R. and C. Pantano, "On the Effect of Heat Release in Turbulence Spectra of Non-premixed Reacting Shear Layers," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 626, 69-111, 2009.
• Pantano, C. D., I. Pullin, P. E. Dimotakis, and G. Matheou, "LES Approach for High Reynolds Number Wall-Bounded Flows with Application to Turbulent Channel Flow," Journal of Computational Physics, 227, 9271-9291, 2008.
• Matheou, G., C. Pantano, and P. E. Dimotakis, "Verification of Fluid Dynamics Solvers using Correlations with Linear Stability Results," Journal of Computational Physics, 227:11, 5385-5396, 2008.
• Vaishnavi, P., A. Kronenburg, and C. Pantano, "On the Spatial Length Scales of Scalar Dissipation in Turbulent Jet Flames," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 596, 103-132, 2008.
• Pantano, C. and B. Shotorban, "Least-squares Dynamic Approximation Method for Evolution of Uncertainty in Initial Conditions of Dynamical Systems," Physical Review E, 76, 066705, 2007.
• Kramer, R., C. Pantano, and D. I. Pullin, "A Class of Energy Stable, High-order Finite-difference Interface Schemes Suitable for Adaptive Mesh Refinement of Hyperbolic Problems," Journal of Computational Physics, 226:2, 1458-1484, 2007.
• Pantano, C., R. Deiterding, D. Hill, and D. I. Pullin, "A Low-Numerical Dissipation Patch-based Adaptive Mesh Refinement Method for Large-eddy Simulation of Compressible Flows," The Journal of Comp. Phys, 221:1, 63-87, 2007.
• Pantano, C., "An Additive Semi-implicit Runge-Kutta Scheme for Nonstiff Systems," Applied Numerical Math, 57:3, 297-303, 2007.
• Hill D. J., C. Pantano, and D. I. Pullin, "Large-eddy Simulation and Mulitscale Modelling of a Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability with Reshock," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 557, 29-61, June 2006.
• Pantano, C., "Direct Simulation of Non-premixed Flame Extinction in a Methane-Air Jet with Reduced Chemistry," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 514, 231-270, 2004.
• Pantano, C. and D. I. Pullin, "A Statistical Description of Turbulent Diffusion Flame Holes," Combustion and Flame, 137:3, 295-305, May 2004.
• Mellado, J. P., S. Sarkar, and C. Pantano, "Reconstruction Subgrid Models for Nonpremixed Combustion," Physics of Fluids, 15:11, 3280-3307, November 2003.
• Pantano, C., S. Sarkar, and F. A. Williams, "Mixing of a Conserved Scalar in a Turbulent Reacting Shear Layer," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 480, 291-328, April 2003.
• Pantano, C. and D. I. Pullin, "On the Dynamics of the Collapse of a Diffusion-Flame Hole," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 480, 311-322, April 2003.
• Jacquin, L. and C. Pantano, "On the Persistence of Trailing Vortices," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 471, 159-168, November 2002.
• Pantano, C. and S. Sarkar, "A Study of Compressibility Effects in the High-Speed, Turbulent Shear Layer using Direct Simulation," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 451, 329-371, January 2002.
• Pantano, C. and S. Sarkar, "A Subgrid Model for Nonlinear Functions of a Scalar," Physics of Fluids, 13:12, 3803-3819, December 2001.
• Shao, L., S. Sarkar, and C. Pantano, "On the Relationship between the Mean Flow and Sub-grid Stresses in Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Shear Flows," Physics of Fluids, 11:5, 1229-1248, May 1999.
• Ganan-Calvo, A. M., C. Pantano, and A. Barrero, "The Equilibrium Shapes of Liquid Menisci Emitting Liquid and Charges in Steady Cone-Jet-Mode," Journal of Aerosol Science, 27, S187-S188, 1996.
• Pantano, C., A. M. Ganan-Calvo, and A. Barrero, "Zeroth-Order, Electrohydrostatic Solution for Electrospraying in Cone-Jet Mode," Journal of Aerosol. Science, V25:N6, 1065-1077, Sept. 1994.

Articles in Conference Proceedings

• Alberti, A., A. Munafo, C. Pantano, J. Freund, and M. Panesi, "Modeling of Air Breakdown by Single-Mode and Multi-Mode Lasers," AIAA SciTech Forum Conference, San Diego, CA, January 9-13, 2019.
• Yu, H., F. Cirak and C. Pantano, "Large-Eddy Simulation of Flow Over Deformable Parachutes using Immersed Boundary and Adaptive Mesh," AIAA SciTech Forum Conference, San Diego, CA, January 9-13, 2019.
• Alberti, A., A. Munafo, A. Sahai, C. Pantano, and M. Panesi, "FEM Simulation of Laser-induced plasma breakdown experiments for combustion applications," AIAA SciTec Forum Conference, Grapevine, TX, January 9-13, 2017.
• Knaus, R., and C. Pantano, "A study of the geometrical statistics of flame holes in a partially-extinguished turbulent nonpremixed shear layer," 9th Turbulent Shear Flow Phenomena Symposium (TSFP-9), Melbourne, Australia, June 30 - July 3, 2015.
• Shukla, R., C. Pantano, T. Jackson, J. Austin, and J.B. Freund, "Shock Induced Detonations in Composite Heterogeneous Energetic Materials," 45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, 2009.
• Byun, J. and C. Pantano, "Advanced and high-order numerical discretization methods for large-eddy simulation that maximize subgrid-scale model resolution," 21st AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference, San Diego, Jun 24-27, 2013.
• Pantano, C., R.J. Kramer and F. Cirak, "Compressible fluid-structure interaction simulations of an inflatable tension cone decelerator for planetary re-entry," International Conference in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM), Beijing, China, August 20-24, 2012.
• Kramer, R., F. Cirak, and C. Pantano, "A Computational Fluid-Structure Interaction Study of Inflation Cycles of a Tension Cone Decelerator", 21st AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar, Dublin, Ireland, May 23 - 26, 2011.
• Pantano, C., K. Karagiozis, R. Kamakoti and F. Cirak, "Computational Fluid-structure Interaction of DGB Parachutes in Compressible Fluid Flow," 2010 ASME 7th International Symposium on Fluid-Structure Interactions, Flow-Sound Interactions and Flow-Induced Vibrations & Noise International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, August 1-4, 2010.
• Kramer, R., F. Cirak, and C. Pantano, "Fluid-structure Interaction Simulation of an Inflatable Aerodynamic Tension-cone Decelerator," 40th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit, Chicago, IL, Jun 28-July 1, 2010.
• Shukla, R.K., C. Pantano, T.L. Jackson, J.M. Austin, and J.B. Freund, "Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulations of Energetic Materials for Hazard Classification," JANNAF 43rd Combustion Subcommittee Meeting, La Jolla, CA, December 7-11, 2009.
• Sengupta, A., A. Steltzner, A. Witkowski, G. Candler, and C. Pantano, “Findings from the Supersonic Qualification Program of the Mars Science Laboratory Parachute System,” 20th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar, Seattle, WA, May 4-7, 2009.
• Karagiozis, K., F., Cirak, R. Kamakoti, C. Pantano, V. Gidzak, I. Nompelis, K. Stein, and G. Candler, “Computational Fluid-structure Interaction Methods for Simulation of Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerators,” 20th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar, Seattle, WA, May 4-7, 2009.
• Ferrante, A., C. Pantano, G. Matheou, and P. E. Dimotakis, “On the Effects of the Upstream Conditions on the Transition of an Inclined Jet into a Supersonic Cross-flow,” 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Orlando, FL, Jan 5-8, 2009.
• Sengupta, A., A. Steltzner, K. Comeaux, G. Candler, M. Barnhardt, C. Pantano, J. Bell, J.T. Heineck, and E. Schairer, "Results from Mars Science Laboratory Parachute Decelerator System Supersonic Qualification Program," 2008 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Montana, 2008.
• Sengupta, A., A. Steltzner, K. Comeaux, G. Candler, C. Pantano, and J. Bell, "Supersonic Delta Qualification by Analysis Program for the Mars Science Laboratory Parachute Decelerator System," 19th AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference and Seminar, Blacksburg, Virginia, 2542, May 2007.
• Hao, Y., C. Pantano, and D. Goodwin, "A Two-Dimensional Model of a Single-Chamber SOFC with Hydrocarbon Fuels," Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC-IX), Quebec City, Canada, 2005-0664, May 15-20, 2005.
• Hill, D., T. W. Mattner, C. Pantano, A. W. Cook, P. E. Dimotakis, D. Meiron, and D. I. Pullin, "Computational Study of Turbulent Mixing at the Caltech ASC Center," 16th AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Conference, Orlando, GL, AIAA-2003-3696, June 23-26, 2003.
• Mellado, J. P., S. Sarkar, and C. Pantano, "Evaluation of a Subgrid Model for the Arrhenius Reaction Rate in a Jet," 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Reno, NV, AIAA 2002-0165, January 2002.
• Pantano, C., S. Sarkar, and F. A. Williams, "The Interaction of Scalar Mixing and Heat Release in a Reacting Shear Layer," in Turbulent Mixing and Combustion, A. Pollard and S. Candel, eds., Kluwer Academic Publications, 137-148, 2002.

Journal Editorships

• AIAA Journal
• Combustion Theory and Modelling

Professional Societies

• Frenkiel Award Selection Committee of APS/DFD, 2017-2019
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technical Committee, 2012-2015
• Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), 2010-Present
• Acrivos Award Committee of APS/DFD, 2010-2012
• The Combustion Institute, 2009-Present
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2007-Present (Associate Fellow)
• American Physical Society, 2001-Present

Teaching Honors

• UIUC List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2017

Research Honors

• 2006 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)

Recent Courses Taught

• TAM 531 - Inviscid Flow
• TAM 532 - Viscous Flow
• TAM 538 - Turbulence
• TAM 570 (CSE 560) - Computational Fluid Mechanics