Flying and swimming animals cruise at a Strouhal number tuned for high power efficiency

Graham K. Taylor (), Robert L. Nudds and Adrian L. R. Thomas
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Graham K. Taylor: University of Oxford
Robert L. Nudds: University of Oxford

Nature, 2003, vol. 425, issue 6959, 707-711

Abstract: Abstract Dimensionless numbers are important in biomechanics because their constancy can imply dynamic similarity between systems, despite possible differences in medium or scale1. A dimensionless parameter that describes the tail or wing kinematics of swimming and flying animals is the Strouhal number1, St = fA/U, which divides stroke frequency (f) and amplitude (A) by forward speed (U)2,3,4,5,6,7,8. St is known to govern a well-defined series of vortex growth and shedding regimes for airfoils undergoing pitching and heaving motions6,8. Propulsive efficiency is high over a narrow range of St and usually peaks within the interval 0.2

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02000

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