Abstract
INSECTS cannot fly, according to the conventional laws of aerodynamics: during flapping flight, their wings produce more lift than during steady motion at the same velocities and angles of attack1–5. Measured instantaneous lift forces also show qualitative and quantitative disagreement with the forces predicted by conventional aerodynamic theories6–9. The importance of high-life aerodynamic mechanisms is now widely recognized but, except for the specialized fling mechanism used by some insect species1,10–13, the source of extra lift remains unknown. We have now visualized the airflow around the wings of the hawkmoth Manduca sexta and a 'hovering' large mechanical model—the flapper. An intense leading-edge vortex was found on the down-stroke, of sufficient strength to explain the high-lift forces. The vortex is created by dynamic stall, and not by the rotational lift mechanisms that have been postulated for insect flight14–16. The vortex spirals out towards the wingtip with a spanwise velocity comparable to the flapping velocity. The three-dimensional flow is similar to the conical leading-edge vortex found on delta wings, with the spanwise flow stabilizing the vortex.
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Author information
Coen van den Berg
Present address: Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Alexander P. Willmott
Present address: Kawachi Millibioflight Project, Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST), Park Building 3F, 4-7-6 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153, Japan
Adrian L. R. Thomas
Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, 0X1 3PS, UK
Authors and Affiliations
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB23EJ, UK
Charles P. Ellington, Coen van den Berg, Alexander P. Willmott & Adrian L. R. Thomas
- Charles P. Ellington
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- Coen van den Berg
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Ellington, C., van den Berg, C., Willmott, A. et al. Leading-edge vortices in insect flight. Nature 384, 626–630 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/384626a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/384626a0
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