  Lattice Boltzmann method models offer a novel framework for the simulation of
high Reynolds number dilute gravity currents. The numerical algorithm is well
suited to acceleration via implementation on massively parallel computer
architectures. Here we present two lattice Boltzmann method models of
lock-exchange dilute gravity currents, in which the largest turbulent length
scales are directly resolved. The three-dimensional simulations are accelerated
by exporting computations to a graphics processing unit and are validated
against experiments and high-resolution simulations for Reynolds numbers up to
30,000. The lattice Boltzmann method models achieve equivalent accuracy to
conventional large eddy simulation models in the prediction of key flow
properties. A conservative analysis of computational performance relative to
conventional methods indicates that the presented framework reduces simulation
times by two orders of magnitude. Therefore, it can be used as a foundation for
the development of depth-resolving models that capture more of the complexity
of environmental gravity currents.
