Efficient cruising for swimming and flying animals is dictated by fluid drag
Abstract
Almost 30 y ago, researchers discovered that a great variety of efficient swimmers cruise in a narrow range of Strouhal numbers, a dimensionless number describing the kinematics of swimming. Almost 15 y later, separate researchers discovered that fliers (bats, birds, and insects) also cruise in the same narrow range of Strouhal numbers. Attendant experiments on flapping airfoils have shown that this narrow range of Strouhal numbers gives rise to the most efficient kinematics. Here, we explain why this range of Strouhal numbers is the most efficient.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 18, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1805941115
Entities
People
- Alexander Smits
- Daniel Floryan
- Tyler Van Buren
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Princeton University