Swimming of dolphins: experiments and modelling.
A critical analysis of the numerous works on dolphin swimming shows that several uncertainties led to incorrect conclusions concerning the estimates of dolphin drag coefficients. Original results on dolphin kinematics and hydrodynamics indicate the existence of a drag-reduction mechanism, caused by the formation of a negative pressure gradient along the body during active swimming. The mathematical model for this mechanism is presented.
Romanenko
E V
EV
Severtsov Institute of Evolutionary Animal Morphology and Ecology, Moscow, Russia.
D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004289:Dolphins / Q000502:physiology*; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*