Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak

Abstract When a sailfish circles to corral a school of flying fish in a vortex near the ocean surface, a tiny patch of arced surface waves confined to oppositely placed 70° sectors appears dispersing coherently, but why? It is modeled that, when the fish motions stop suddenly, the corralled school c...

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Main Author: Promode R. Bandyopadhyay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40986-w
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author Promode R. Bandyopadhyay
author_facet Promode R. Bandyopadhyay
author_sort Promode R. Bandyopadhyay
collection DOAJ
description Abstract When a sailfish circles to corral a school of flying fish in a vortex near the ocean surface, a tiny patch of arced surface waves confined to oppositely placed 70° sectors appears dispersing coherently, but why? It is modeled that, when the fish motions stop suddenly, the corralled school compacts, the tail shed propulsion vortices touch, break and radiate the pressure released from the centrifugal vortex rotation creating an acoustic monopole. The surface-wave patch is a section of the sphere of radiation. The oppositely placed curved bodies of the sailfish and the flying fish act as concave acoustic mirrors about the monopole creating a reverberating bell-shaped cloak in between which vibrates the ear bones and bladders of the flying fish disorienting them. A cup of water firmly struck on a table induces a similar vibration of a purely radial mode. The sailfish circles around the school at a depth where the wind induced underwater toroidal motion in the vertical plane becomes negligible such that the flying fish is unable to sense the tailwind direction above, limiting the ability to swim up and emerge in the right direction to glide. Experiments confirm that the flying fish tail rigidity is too low for a quick ballistic exit, which is not called for either.
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spelling doaj.art-68800f0ce2364cfba2656d44e3f71f022023-11-26T12:59:36ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-08-0113111410.1038/s41598-023-40986-wAcoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloakPromode R. Bandyopadhyay0Naval Undersea Warfare CenterAbstract When a sailfish circles to corral a school of flying fish in a vortex near the ocean surface, a tiny patch of arced surface waves confined to oppositely placed 70° sectors appears dispersing coherently, but why? It is modeled that, when the fish motions stop suddenly, the corralled school compacts, the tail shed propulsion vortices touch, break and radiate the pressure released from the centrifugal vortex rotation creating an acoustic monopole. The surface-wave patch is a section of the sphere of radiation. The oppositely placed curved bodies of the sailfish and the flying fish act as concave acoustic mirrors about the monopole creating a reverberating bell-shaped cloak in between which vibrates the ear bones and bladders of the flying fish disorienting them. A cup of water firmly struck on a table induces a similar vibration of a purely radial mode. The sailfish circles around the school at a depth where the wind induced underwater toroidal motion in the vertical plane becomes negligible such that the flying fish is unable to sense the tailwind direction above, limiting the ability to swim up and emerge in the right direction to glide. Experiments confirm that the flying fish tail rigidity is too low for a quick ballistic exit, which is not called for either.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40986-w
spellingShingle Promode R. Bandyopadhyay
Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
Scientific Reports
title Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
title_full Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
title_fullStr Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
title_full_unstemmed Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
title_short Acoustic predation in a sailfish-flying fish cloak
title_sort acoustic predation in a sailfish flying fish cloak
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40986-w
work_keys_str_mv AT promoderbandyopadhyay acousticpredationinasailfishflyingfishcloak