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Numerical Study Of Owls' Leading-Edge Serrations, Asif Shahriar Nafi, Nikolaos Beratlis, Elias Balaras, Roi Gurka
Numerical Study Of Owls' Leading-Edge Serrations, Asif Shahriar Nafi, Nikolaos Beratlis, Elias Balaras, Roi Gurka
Physics and Engineering Science
Owls' silent flight is commonly attributed to their special wing morphology combined with wingbeat kinematics. One of these special morphological features is known as the leading-edge serrations: rigid miniature hook-like patterns found at the primaries of the wings' leading-edge. It has been hypothesized that leading-edge serrations function as a passive flow control mechanism, impacting the aerodynamic performance. To elucidate the flow physics associated with owls' leading-edge serrations, we investigate the flow-field characteristic around a barn owl wing with serrated leading-edge geometry positioned at 20° angle of attack for a Reynolds number of 40 000. We use direct numerical simulations, where …
The Role Of Leading-Edge Serrations In Controlling The Flow Over Owls’ Wing, Tanner Saussaman, Asif Nafi, David Charland, Hadar Ben-Gida, Roi Gurka
The Role Of Leading-Edge Serrations In Controlling The Flow Over Owls’ Wing, Tanner Saussaman, Asif Nafi, David Charland, Hadar Ben-Gida, Roi Gurka
Physics and Engineering Science
We studied the effects of leading-edge serrations on the flow dynamics developed over an owl wing model. Owls are predatory birds. Most owl species are nocturnal, with some active during the day. The nocturnal ones feature stealth capabilities that are partially attributed to their wing microfeatures. One of these microfeatures is small rigid combs (i.e. serrations) aligned at an angle with respect to the incoming flow located at the wings' leading-edge region of the primaries. These serrations are essentially passive flow control devices that enhance some of the owls' flight characteristics, such as aeroacoustics and, potentially, aerodynamics. We performed a …