Experimental Hydrodynamics of Fast-Floating Aquatic Animals

Experimental Hydrodynamics of Fast-Floating Aquatic Animals presents the latest research on the physiological, morphological and evolutionary factors in aquatic animal locomotion. Beginning with an overview on how to conduct experiments on swimming aquatic animals, assessing hydrodynamic forces, resistance and geometric parameters of animal bodies, the book then details how aquatic animals, such as fast-moving dolphins, can achieve high speeds without over-expelling their energy resources. It provides insights into investigations on how animals, including dolphins, sharks and swordfish can maneuver through water at high speeds, offering a natural model for improving human and technological underwater locomotion.

This book is essential for researchers and practicing biologists interested in the study of aquatic animal locomotive physiology and its application to human technology. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students will also find this a helpful academic resource for further understanding animal hydrodynamics.

• Analyzes the locomotive benefits of bodily structures in aquatic animals such as cetacean species, penguins, sharks and fast-swimming fish species, such as the swordfish
• Features the latest research and firsthand investigative studies of aquatic animal hydrodynamic factors, including skin elasticity, fin shape and movement, bioenergy, and more
• Provides a comparison of human to animal hydrodynamics, detailing how energy is spent differently due to evolutionary advances in the latter

Researchers and practicing biologists focusing on animal physiology and locomotion. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students in biology, hydrodynamics, and animal science courses

1: Method of Investigation the Problems of Hydromechanics on the basis of the laws of Swimming Aquatic Animals
1.1. Introductory Remarks
1.2. Principles of Swimming Aquatic Animals
1.3. Methods of Experimental Investigations and Criteria for Dynamic Similarity
1.4. Modeling in Experimental Investigations of Swimming Aquatic Animals

2: Kinematic and dynamic Parameters of Swimming Aquatic Animals
2.1. Basic Hydrodynamic Forces and Moments
2.2. Component of Hydrodynamic Resistance of Bodies
2.3. Geometric Parameters of the Body of Aquatic Animals
2.4. Geometric Parameters of the Caudal Fin
2.5. Swimming Speeds of Aquatic Animals
2.6. Equipments for the Investigations of the Laws of Swimming Aquatic Animals
2.7. Features Swimming of Aquatic Animals

3: Bioenergy Swimming Aquatic Animals
3.1. Basic Patterns of Bio-energy
3.2. Experimental Investigations of the Energy Expenses of Dolphins in a State of Relative Rest
3.3. Indirect Estimates of the Energy Expenses of Dolphins
3.4. Quasistationary Bioenergetics Calculation of Dolphin Swimming
3.5. On the Comparison of Human and Dolphin Bio-energy

4: The Morphology of the Body Systems of Some Aquatic Animals
4.1. The Structure of the Body Systems of Dolphins
4.2. Dolphin Fin Morphology
4.3. Features of the Structure of the Dolphins Skin
4.4. The Structure of Shark Body Systems
4.5. The Morphology of the Sharks Skin
4.6. The Structure of the Swordfish Skin
4.7. The Structure of the Body and Skin of Penguins

5: Interaction of Aquatic Animals Systems with Environment
5.1. Control of the Shape of the Body and Fins of Aquatic Animals
5.2. Features of Control of the Skin Covering of Aquatic Animals
5.3. Investigation of the Stability of Coherent Vortex Structures of the Boundary Layer of the Aquatic Animals Skin
5.4. Measurement of the Temperature of the Outer Cover of Dolphins
5.5. Thermoregulation of the Aquatic Animals Skin

6: Experimental Investigations of the Boundary Layer and Mechanical Characteristics of Dolphin Skin
6.1. Pulsations of the Velocity of the Boundary Layer of Dolphins
6.2. The Flow Regime in the Boundary Layer of the Dolphin Model
6.3. Models of Elastic Surfaces
6.4. Apparatus for Measuring the Mechanical Characteristics of the Skin Live Dolphins
6.5. Preliminary Results of the Investigations of Skin Elasticity Live Dolphins
6.6. Investigations of Skin Elasticity of Live Dolphins
6.7. Investigations of the Oscillating Mass Parameter of the Dolphins Skin
6.8. Some Mechanical Characteristics of the Dolphins Skin
6.9. The Propagation Speed of Oscillations on the Dolphins Skin