A rotating tow facility whose principle element is a long acrylic channel of rectangular cross-section has been developed. A smooth flexible belt, which can be translated along the channel axis, serves as a false horizontal floor. The system is mounted on a turntable which rotates at a constant angular speed about a vertical axis. The working fluid is bounded above by a sheet of acrylic plastic which can be tilted to simulate the beta effect. Topographic features are mounted on the belt and the flow past these obstacles is made visible by utilizing the electrolytic precipitation technique and recorded by a video tape camera system which translates with the belt.
展开▼
