QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online March 21, 2005
Journal of Experimental Biology 208, 1257-1265 (2005)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2005
doi: 10.1242/jeb.01519

This Article Summary Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JEB Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dabiri, J. O. Articles by Gharib, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Dabiri, J. O. Articles by Gharib, M.

Flow patterns generated by oblate medusan jellyfish: field measurements and laboratory analyses

John O. Dabiri^1,*, Sean P. Colin², John H. Costello³ and Morteza Gharib¹

¹ Bioengineering and Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Mail Code 301-46, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
² Biology and Marine Biology, Roger Williams University, MNS 241, Bristol, RI 02809, USA
³ Biology, Providence College, Providence, RI 02918, USA

View larger version (14K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Schematic of a jetting medusa with vortex rings in the wake. Vortex rings are shown in cross section. A, jet length; B, vortex ring core diameter; C, vortex ring spacing; D, jet diameter.

View larger version (124K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Video sequence of vortex ring formation during two swimming cycles of Aurelia aurita. At 0 and 2.47 s the bell is relaxed and fully expanded. Frames at 0.63 and 3.73 s show the contraction phase and the formation of the starting vortex. Frames at 1.47 and 4.40 s show the relaxation phase, the trailing starting vortex and the formation of the stopping vortex. The frame at 2.47 shows a fully developed stopping vortex in the subumbrellar cavity.

View larger version (61K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. Kinematics of the starting, stopping and co-joined lateral vortex structures. (A) Image of medusa vortex wake. (B) Corresponding schematic of medusa vortex wake. P, power stroke starting vortex ring; R, recovery stroke stopping vortex ring; L1/L2, adjacent lateral vortex superstructures. (C) Flow paths in vortex wake. Solid arrows indicate directions of vortex rotation; broken arrows, flow induced by vortex rotation.

View larger version (70K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Video sequence and schematic of fluorescent dye relative to the tentacles of Aurelia aurita during a swimming cycle. (A) The dye placed along the exumbrella. (B) The bell expanding and drawing the dye through the tentacles toward the subumbrellar cavity as part of the stopping vortex. (C,D) The bell contracting and expelling the dye along the tentacles as part of the starting vortex.

View larger version (20K): [in a new window]   Fig. 5. Medusa bell shape profiles normalized by volume of ejected bell fluid b. Broken lines, small medusa; solid lines, large medusa; gray lines, full bell contraction; black lines, full bell relaxation. Horizontal bars denote measurement uncertainty.