Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross
Wandering albatrosses exploit wind shear by dynamic soaring (DS), enabling rapid, efficient, long-range flight. We compared the ability of a theoretical nonlinear DS model and a linear empirical model to explain the observed variation of mean across-wind airspeeds of GPS-tracked wandering albatrosse...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211364 |
| _version_ | 1797845346523545600 |
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| author | Philip L. Richardson Ewan D. Wakefield |
| author_facet | Philip L. Richardson Ewan D. Wakefield |
| author_sort | Philip L. Richardson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wandering albatrosses exploit wind shear by dynamic soaring (DS), enabling rapid, efficient, long-range flight. We compared the ability of a theoretical nonlinear DS model and a linear empirical model to explain the observed variation of mean across-wind airspeeds of GPS-tracked wandering albatrosses. Assuming a flight trajectory of linked, 137° turns, a DS cycle of 10 s and a cruise airspeed of 16 m s−1, the theoretical model predicted that the minimum wind speed necessary to support DS is greater than 3 m s−1. Despite this, tracked albatrosses were observed in flight at wind speeds as low as 2 m s−1. We hypothesize at these very low wind speeds, wandering albatrosses fly by obtaining additional energy from updrafts over water waves. In fast winds (greater than 8 m s−1), assuming the same 10 s cycle period and a turn angle (TA) of 90°, the DS model predicts mean across-wind airspeeds of up to around 50 m s−1. In contrast, the maximum observed across-wind mean airspeed of our tracked albatrosses reached an asymptote at approximately 20 m s−1. We hypothesize that this is due to birds actively limiting airspeed by making fine-scale adjustments to TAs and soaring heights in order to limit aerodynamic force on their wings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:37:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0f63cbb5d794953b4c1b34c158216e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:37:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0f63cbb5d794953b4c1b34c158216e72023-04-17T10:54:42ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032022-11-0191110.1098/rsos.211364Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatrossPhilip L. Richardson0Ewan D. Wakefield1Department of Physical Oceanography, MS#21, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 360 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USAInstitute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UKWandering albatrosses exploit wind shear by dynamic soaring (DS), enabling rapid, efficient, long-range flight. We compared the ability of a theoretical nonlinear DS model and a linear empirical model to explain the observed variation of mean across-wind airspeeds of GPS-tracked wandering albatrosses. Assuming a flight trajectory of linked, 137° turns, a DS cycle of 10 s and a cruise airspeed of 16 m s−1, the theoretical model predicted that the minimum wind speed necessary to support DS is greater than 3 m s−1. Despite this, tracked albatrosses were observed in flight at wind speeds as low as 2 m s−1. We hypothesize at these very low wind speeds, wandering albatrosses fly by obtaining additional energy from updrafts over water waves. In fast winds (greater than 8 m s−1), assuming the same 10 s cycle period and a turn angle (TA) of 90°, the DS model predicts mean across-wind airspeeds of up to around 50 m s−1. In contrast, the maximum observed across-wind mean airspeed of our tracked albatrosses reached an asymptote at approximately 20 m s−1. We hypothesize that this is due to birds actively limiting airspeed by making fine-scale adjustments to TAs and soaring heights in order to limit aerodynamic force on their wings.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211364wandering albatrossGPS trackingdynamic soaringwind shearairspeedflight trajectory |
| spellingShingle | Philip L. Richardson Ewan D. Wakefield Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross Royal Society Open Science wandering albatross GPS tracking dynamic soaring wind shear airspeed flight trajectory |
| title | Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| title_full | Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| title_fullStr | Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| title_short | Observations and models of across-wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| title_sort | observations and models of across wind flight speed of the wandering albatross |
| topic | wandering albatross GPS tracking dynamic soaring wind shear airspeed flight trajectory |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.211364 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT philiplrichardson observationsandmodelsofacrosswindflightspeedofthewanderingalbatross AT ewandwakefield observationsandmodelsofacrosswindflightspeedofthewanderingalbatross |