scholarly journals Strong longitudinal variation in wing aspect ratio of a damselfly, Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Zygoptera)

Author(s):  
Christopher Hassall

Geographical patterns in body size have been described across a wide range of species, leading to the development of a series of fundamental biological rules. However, shape variables are less well-described despite having substantial consequences for organismal performance. Wing aspect ratio (AR) has been proposed as a key shape parameter that determines function in flying animals, with high AR corresponding to longer, thinner wings that promote high manoeuvrability, low speed flight, and low AR corresponding to shorter, broader wings that promote high efficiency long distance flight. From this principle it might be predicted that populations at range edges would exhibit low AR wings. I test this hypothesis using the riverine damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, sampled from 34 sites across its range margin in North America. Nine hundred and seven male specimens were captured from across the 34 sites (mean=26.7 ±2.9 SE per site), dissected and measured to quantify the area and length of all four wings. Geometric morphometrics were employed to investigate geographical variation in wing shape. The majority of variation in wing shape involved changes in wing aspect ratio, confirmed independently by geometric morphometrics and wing measurements. There was a weak positive relationship between wing aspect ratio and temperature, in line with work on other insects. However, there was a strong longitudinal pattern in which western populations exhibited lower wing aspect ratio. This longitudinal pattern may be related to increasing variability in precipitation from east to west in North America. I discuss my findings in light of research of the functional ecology of wing shape across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Hassall

Geographical patterns in body size have been described across a wide range of species, leading to the development of a series of fundamental biological rules. However, shape variables are less well-described despite having substantial consequences for organismal performance. Wing aspect ratio (AR) has been proposed as a key shape parameter that determines function in flying animals, with high AR corresponding to longer, thinner wings that promote high manoeuvrability, low speed flight, and low AR corresponding to shorter, broader wings that promote high efficiency long distance flight. From this principle it might be predicted that populations at range edges would exhibit low AR wings. I test this hypothesis using the riverine damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, sampled from 34 sites across its range margin in North America. Nine hundred and seven male specimens were captured from across the 34 sites (mean=26.7 ±2.9 SE per site), dissected and measured to quantify the area and length of all four wings. Geometric morphometrics were employed to investigate geographical variation in wing shape. The majority of variation in wing shape involved changes in wing aspect ratio, confirmed independently by geometric morphometrics and wing measurements. There was a weak positive relationship between wing aspect ratio and temperature, in line with work on other insects. However, there was a strong longitudinal pattern in which western populations exhibited lower wing aspect ratio. This longitudinal pattern may be related to increasing variability in precipitation from east to west in North America. I discuss my findings in light of research of the functional ecology of wing shape across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa


Author(s):  
Iis Rohmawati ◽  
Hiroshi Arai ◽  
Hidemi Mutsuda ◽  
Takuji Nakashima ◽  
Rizal Mahmud

Experimental and numerical research have been performed to investigate the Wavy Leading Edge (WLE) effect on the rectangular wing. The WLE is inspired by humpback whale flipper morphology which is blunt and rounded in certain form pattern. This flipper shape plays an important role for its behaviour specially capturing their prey. This advantage could be applied to other systems such as fin stabilizers or wind turbines. Steady cases in various aspect ratios were conducted to find out the optimum effect of WLE with baseline NACA 0018 profile at Reynolds number 1.4 x 105. The chord length of the wing (c) was 125 mm. The WLE shape defined as wavelength (W) 8% of c and amplitude (d) is 5% of c. The aspect ratio (AR) variations were 1.6; 3.9; 5.1; 7.9 and 9.6.  A simple rectangular form of the wing was selected to analysis the WLE effect on the various ARs. The taper wing shape is applied to find out the WLE effect at the AR 7.9. three types of taper ratio (TR) are 0.1; 0.3 and 0.5. The results show that the WLE on the taper wing has better advantage to control the stall in steady case. Another impressive result was the WLE wing with AR 7.9 and TR 0.3 has the best lift coefficient and pressure distribution.Keywords: stall, wavy leading edge, steady case, rectangle wing, taper wing, aspect ratio. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Cruz ◽  
Klas Hjort

AbstractThe ability to focus, separate and concentrate specific targets in a fluid is essential for the analysis of complex samples such as biological fluids, where a myriad of different particles may be present. Inertial focusing is a very promising technology for such tasks, and specially a recently presented variant, inertial focusing in High Aspect Ratio Curved systems (HARC systems), where the systems are easily engineered and focus the targets together in a stable position over a wide range of particle sizes and flow rates. However, although convenient for laser interrogation and concentration, by focusing all particles together, HARC systems lose an essential feature of inertial focusing: the possibility of particle separation by size. Within this work, we report that HARC systems not only do have the capacity to separate particles but can do so with extremely high resolution, which we demonstrate for particles with a size difference down to 80 nm. In addition to the concept for particle separation, a model considering the main flow, the secondary flow and a simplified expression for the lift force in HARC microchannels was developed and proven accurate for the prediction of the performance of the systems. The concept was also demonstrated experimentally with three different sub-micron particles (0.79, 0.92 and 1.0 µm in diameter) in silicon-glass microchannels, where the resolution in the separation could be modulated by the radius of the channel. With the capacity to focus sub-micron particles and to separate them with high resolution, we believe that inertial focusing in HARC systems is a technology with the potential to facilitate the analysis of complex fluid samples containing bioparticles like bacteria, viruses or eukaryotic organelles.


Author(s):  
Salaika Parvin ◽  
Nepal Chandra Roy ◽  
Litan Kumar Saha ◽  
Sadia Siddiqa

A numerical study is performed to investigate nanofluids' flow field and heat transfer characteristics between the domain bounded by a square and a wavy cylinder. The left and right walls of the cavity are at constant low temperature while its other adjacent walls are insulated. The convective phenomena take place due to the higher temperature of the inner corrugated surface. Super elliptic functions are used to transform the governing equations of the classical rectangular enclosure into a system of equations valid for concentric cylinders. The resulting equations are solved iteratively with the implicit finite difference method. Parametric results are presented in terms of streamlines, isotherms, local and average Nusselt numbers for a wide range of scaled parameters such as nanoparticles concentration, Rayleigh number, and aspect ratio. Several correlations have been deduced at the inner and outer surface of the cylinders for the average Nusselt number, which gives a good agreement when compared against the numerical results. The strength of the streamlines increases significantly due to an increase in the aspect ratio of the inner cylinder and the Rayleigh number. As the concentration of nanoparticles increases, the average Nusselt number at the internal and external cylinders becomes stronger. In addition, the average Nusselt number for the entire Rayleigh number range gets enhanced when plotted against the volume fraction of the nanofluid.


Aerospace ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Dmitry V. Vedernikov ◽  
Alexander N. Shanygin ◽  
Yury S. Mirgorodsky ◽  
Mikhail D. Levchenkov

This publication presents the results of complex parametrical strength investigations of typical wings for regional aircrafts obtained by means of the new version of the four-level algorithm (FLA) with the modified module responsible for the analysis of aerodynamic loading. This version of FLA, as well as a base one, is focused on significant decreasing time and labor input of a complex strength analysis of airframes by using simultaneously different principles of decomposition. The base version includes four-level decomposition of airframe and decomposition of strength tasks. The new one realizes additional decomposition of alternative variants of load cases during the process of determination of critical load cases. Such an algorithm is very suitable for strength analysis and designing airframes of regional aircrafts having a wide range of aerodynamic concepts. Results of validation of the new version of FLA for a high-aspect-ratio wing obtained in this work confirmed high performance of the algorithm in decreasing time and labor input of strength analysis of airframes at the preliminary stages of designing. During parametrical design investigation, some interesting results for strut-braced wings having high aspect ratios were obtained.


2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (03) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Van Gompel ◽  
R. Wiet ◽  
Nicole Tombers ◽  
Anand Devaiah ◽  
Devyani Lal ◽  
...  

Background Very few studies have examined vestibular schwannoma (VS) management trends across centers and between providers. The objective of this study is to examine current practice trends, variance in treatment philosophies, and nuanced or controversial aspects of VS care across North America. Methods This is a cross-sectional survey of North American Skull Base Society (NASBS) members who report regular involvement in VS care. Results A total of 57 completed surveys were returned. Most respondents claimed to have over 20 years of experience and the majority reported working in an academic practice with an affiliated otolaryngology and/or neurosurgery residency program. Sixty-three percent of respondents claimed to evaluate VS patients in clinic with both an otolaryngologist and neurosurgeon involved. Eighty-six percent of respondents claimed to operate on VS with both an otolaryngologist and neurosurgeon involved, while only 18% of neurosurgeons and 9% of otolaryngologists performed surgery alone. There was a wide range in the number of cases evaluated at each center annually. Similarly, there was wide variation in the number of patients treated with microsurgery and radiation at each center. Additional details regarding management preferences for microsurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy, and conservative observation are presented. Conclusion VS management practices vary between providers and centers. Overall, most centers employ a multidisciplinary approach to management with collaboration between otolaryngology and neurosurgery. Overall, survey responses concur with previous studies suggesting a shift toward conservatism in management.


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