Novel Flow Visualization Technique Using Bioluminescent Marine Plankton. Part 2.Field Studies

摘要

The broad scope of this study is to investigate whether the flow-inducedstimulation of naturally occurring luminescent plankton can be effectively utilized as a method of flow visualization in the field. The primary goal is to determine the nature of flow around a moving dolphin based on the luminescent response of in situ plankton to hydrodynamic stimulation. The boundary layer flow around a dolphin swimming at high Reynolds numbers is not well characterized. There has been continued debate whether the flow is laminar since this was first suggested by Sir James Gray 21. Previous attempts 1, 31-5 to visualize the flow around a dolphin have included dye, bubbles, particles, and spray. These attempts have not succeeded in unambiguously determining what areas of the dolphin body are covered by laminar flow. Problems arose with the clarity of the water, hesitancy of the dolphins to swim through an unfamiliar medium, and interpreting streaks (of dye, bubbles, and particles) smeared by the unsteady flow around an oscillating body.