Biological dynamical subsystems of hovering flight

Karl Gustafson

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), 1996, vol. 40, issue 3, 397-410

Abstract: Elsewhere we have reported our simulations of general hovering aerodynamics as practiced, for example, by hummingbirds and dragonflies. These studies explain rather satisfactorily from the point of view of partial differential equations (Navier-Stokes) how such high lift is generated in such motions. Excellent match with laboratory findings is achieved. In this paper, I will first bring up-to-date these studies. New results include a study of the qualitative features of these motions, treated as a nonlinear dynamical system. Lift phase portraits and power spectra reveal a progression up the bifurcation ladder through periodic and increasingly complicated aperiodic motions toward chaos. A connection to the inertial manifold framework is established. A new structural stability theory is postulated for such dynamical systems.

Keywords: Dragonfly; Hummingbird; Aerodynamics; Navier-Stokes equations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1996
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0378475495000453
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:matcom:v:40:y:1996:i:3:p:397-410

DOI: 10.1016/0378-4754(95)00045-3

Access Statistics for this article

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM) is currently edited by Robert Beauwens

More articles in Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM) from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().