Dynamic Stabilizing Mechanisms in Swimming Fishes

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Recent studies have shown that many fish are similarly maneuverable, but differ in their abilities to stabilize themselves in the turbulent environments typical of the natural world. Differences in stabilizing/maneuvering mechanisms affect behavior, habitat choices and fish distributions. The proposed research by Dr. Webb will contribute to basic knowledge by measuring the abilities of four species of fishes differing in body and control-surface form to stabilize the body and swimming trajectories when they are perturbed by outside hydrodynamic disturbances. Furthermore, the locomotor prowess of fishes cannot be matched in any given human-fabricated underwater vehicles. Therefore, the proposed research will contribute to applied knowledge by providing sources for novel designs for submersibles that must increasingly operate in shore and near shore situations. Data will be obtained using high-speed video as fish stabilize themselves in response to disturbances during median and paired fin (MPF) hovering and swimming, and during body-caudal fin (BCF) swimming. The flexibility and integrity of stability mechanisms will be modified in these situations to determine the importance of control-system design. These species span major morphological systems used in stability control. The project is explicitly designed to have a major role in undergraduate education, as well as graduate training.