Aspect Ratio Wing Research Articles

Intraspecific trait variability and community assembly in hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) across an elevational gradient in the eastern Himalayas, India.

We investigated some aspects of hawkmoth community assembly at 13 elevations along a 200‐ to 2770‐m transect in the eastern Himalayas, a little studied biodiversity hot spot of global importance. We measured the morphological traits of body mass, wing loading, and wing aspect ratio of 3,301 free‐ranging individuals of 76 species without having to collect or even constrain them. We used these trait measurements and T‐statistic metrics to assess the strength of intracommunity (“internal") and extra‐community (“external”) filters which determine the composition of communities vis‐a‐vis the regional pool of species.The trait distribution of constituent species turned out to be nonrandom subsets of the community‐trait distribution, providing strong evidence for internal filtering in all elevational communities. The external filter metric was more ambiguous. However, the elevational dependence of many metrics including that of the internal filter provided evidence for external (i.e., environmental) filtering. On average, a species occupied as much as 50%–75% of the total community‐trait space, yet the T‐statistic metric for internal filter was sufficiently sensitive to detect a strong nonrandom structure in the trait distribution.We suggest that the change in T‐statistic metrics along the environmental gradient may provide more clues to the process of community assembly than previously envisaged. A large, smoothly varying and well‐sampled environmental span would make it easier to discern them. Developing T‐statistics for combined analysis of multiple traits will perhaps provide a more accurate picture of internal/filtering and niche complementarity. Moths are a hyperdiverse taxon and a very important component of many ecosystems. Our technique for accurately measuring body and wing dimensions of free‐ranging moths can generate trait database for a large number of individuals in a time‐ and resource‐efficient manner for a variety of community assembly studies using this important taxon.

Adjoint State of Nonlinear Vortex-Lattice Method for Aerodynamic Design and Control

The adjoint state of a nonlinear vortex-lattice method, coupled with sectional polars obtained with an infinite swept-wing (2.5D) Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver, is presented as an interactive method for preliminary aerodynamic design and control of moderate-to-high aspect ratio wings in subsonic and transonic flows. First, the nonlinear vortex-lattice method is described, augmented with a Prandtl–Glauert compressibility correction and regularized so that poststall solutions can be recovered. The linearization of the coupled system of equations is formulated using a Newton method, and the adjoint state is obtained for lift, drag, and inverse design functionals. Numerical results show that the aerodynamic model approximates well the forces predicted by three-dimensional (3D) RANS simulations for the Common Research Model wing, and that the adjoint-state gradients agree well with finite difference tests for a plethora of test cases. More interesting examples are shown, ranging from the optimal unstalling of wings to the assimilation of 3D RANS data into the present model, as well as its ability to extrapolate.

Evidence for facultative migratory flight behavior in Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) in India.

Despite its deleterious impact on farming and agriculture, the physiology and energetics of insect migration is poorly understood due to our inability to track their individual movements in the field. Many insects, e.g. monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), are facultative migrants. Hence, it is important to establish whether specific insect populations in particular areas migrate. The polyphagous insect, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is especially interesting in this regard due to its impact on a variety of crops. Here, we used a laboratory-based flight mill assay to show that Helicoverpa armigera populations clearly demonstrate facultative migration in South India. Based on various flight parameters, we categorized male and female moths as long, medium or short distance fliers. A significant proportion of moths exhibited long-distance flight behavior covering more than 10 km in a single night, averaging about 8 flight hours constituting 61% flight time in the test period. The maximum and average flight speeds of these long fliers were greater than in the other categories. Flight activity across sexes also varied; male moths exhibited better performance than female moths. Wing morphometric parameters including forewing length, wing loading, and wing aspect ratio were key in influencing long-distance flight. Whereas forewing length positively correlated with flight distance and duration, wing loading was negatively correlated.

An experimental parametric study on planar sheared wings tip devices for low-to-moderate aspect ratio wings

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of a low-to-moderate-aspect-ratio, tapered, untwisted, unswept wing, equipped of sheared wing tips.Design/methodology/approachIn this work, wind tunnel tests were made to study the influence in aerodynamic characteristics over a typical low-to-moderate-aspect-ratio wing of a general aviation aircraft, equipped with sheared – swept and tapered planar – wing tips. An experimental parametric study of different wing tips was tested. Variations in its leading and trailing edge sweep angle as well as variations in wing tip taper ratio were considered. Sheared wing tips modify the flow pattern in the outboard region of the wing producing a vortex flow at the wing tip leading edge, enhancing lift at high angles of attack.FindingsThe induced drag is responsible for nearly 50% of aircraft total drag and can be reduced through modifications to the wing tip. Some wing tip models present complex geometries and many of them present benefits in particular flight conditions. Results have demonstrated that sweeping the wing tip leading edge between 60 and 65 degrees offers an increment in wing aerodynamic efficiency, especially at high lift conditions. However, results have demonstrated that moderate wing tip taper ratio (0.50) has better aerodynamic benefits than highly tapered wing tips (from 0.25 to 0.15), even with little less wing tip leading edge sweep angle (from 57 to 62 degrees). The moderate wing tip taper ratio (0.50) offers more wing area and wing span than the wings with highly tapered wing tips, for the same aspect ratio wing.Originality/valueAlthough many studies have been reported on the aerodynamics of wing tips, most of them presented complex non-planar geometries and were developed for cruise flight in high subsonic regime (low lift coefficient). In this work, an exploration and parametric study through wind tunnel tests were made, to evaluate the influence in aerodynamic characteristics of a low-to-moderate-aspect-ratio, tapered, untwisted, unswept wing, equipped of sheared wing tips (wing tips highly swept and tapered).

Intraspecific Variation of Samara Dispersal Traits in the Endangered Tropical Tree Hopea hainanensis (Dipterocarpaceae).

Propagule dispersal is a crucial life history stage, which affects population recruitment and regeneration as well as community structure and functions. The windborne process of samara dispersal is affected not only by samara traits and other plant traits, but also by environmental factors. Therefore, studying samara traits related to its dispersal and intraspecific variation in relation to other plant traits and environmental factors could help to understand population distribution and dynamics. Hopea hainanensis, a Dipterocarpaceae tree species dominant in lowland rainforests in Hainan (China) but endangered due to anthropogenic disturbances, is dispersed mainly by wind because of its sepal-winged samara. Here, we measured dispersal-related intraspecific samara traits of H. hainanensis, and analyzed their variation and correlation in relation to plant height, DBH (diameter at breast height), and elevation plant location. Great variations in the samara traits existed, and the variations were larger within than among individuals, which indicated a “bet-hedging” strategy of this species. Plant height, DBH, and elevation explained slight variation in the samara traits. Samara dispersal potential is mainly affected by the samara mass and morphological traits. Samara settling velocity was significantly positively correlated with fruit mass, seed mass, length and width, as well as samara wing loading, and negatively correlated with wing mass ratio, wing area, and wing aspect ratio. Substantial proportions of intraspecific variation in samara dispersal are explained by the samara mass and morphological traits. Natural regeneration with human-aided dispersal is necessary for recovering the H. hainanensis population. This finding contributes to the generalization of trait-based plant ecology, modeling of seed dispersal in tropical forests, and conservation and recovery of rare and endangered species such as H. hainanensis.

Forest stratification shapes allometry and flight morphology of tropical butterflies

Studies of altitudinal and latitudinal gradients have identified links between the evolution of insect flight morphology, landscape structure and microclimate. Although lowland tropical rainforests offer steeper shifts in conditions between the canopy and the understorey, this vertical gradient has received far less attention. Butterflies, because of their great phenotypic plasticity, are excellent models to study selection pressures that mould flight morphology. We examined data collected over 5 years on 64 Nymphalidae butterflies in the Ecuadorian Chocó rainforest. We used phylogenetic methods to control for similarity resulting from common ancestry, and explore the relationships between species stratification and flight morphology. We hypothesized that species should show morphological adaptations related to differing micro-environments, associated with canopy and understorey. We found that butterfly species living in each stratum presented significantly different allometric slopes. Furthermore, a preference for the canopy was significantly associated with low wing area to thoracic volume ratios and high wing aspect ratios, but not with the relative distance to the wing centroid, consistent with extended use of fast flapping flight for canopy butterflies and slow gliding for the understorey. Our results suggest that microclimate differences in vertical gradients are a key factor in generating morphological diversity in flying insects.

Functional Morphology of Gliding Flight II. Morphology Follows Predictions of Gliding Performance.

The evolution of wing morphology among birds, and its functional consequences, remains an open question, despite much attention. This is in part because the connection between form and function is difficult to test directly. To address this deficit, in prior work, we used computational modeling and sensitivity analysis to interrogate the impact of altering wing aspect ratio (AR), camber, and Reynolds number on aerodynamic performance, revealing the performance landscapes that avian evolution has explored. In the present work, we used a dataset of three-dimensionally scanned bird wings coupled with the performance landscapes to test two hypotheses regarding the evolutionary diversification of wing morphology associated with gliding flight behavior: (1) gliding birds would exhibit higher wing AR and greater chordwise camber than their non-gliding counterparts; and (2) that two strategies for gliding flight exist, with divergent morphological conformations. In support of our first hypothesis, we found evidence of morphological divergence in both wing AR and camber between gliders and non-gliders, suggesting that wing morphology of birds that utilize gliding flight is under different selective pressures than the wings of non-gliding taxa. Furthermore, we found that these morphological differences also yielded differences in coefficient of lift measured both at the maximum lift to drag ratio and at minimum sinking speed, with gliding taxa exhibiting higher coefficient of lift in both cases. Minimum sinking speed was also lower in gliders than non-gliders. However, contrary to our hypothesis, we found that the maximum ratio of the coefficient of lift to the coefficient of drag differed between gliders and non-gliders. This may point to the need for gliders to maintain high lift capability for takeoff and landing independent of gliding performance or could be due to the divergence in flight styles among gliders, as not all gliders are predicted to optimize either quantity. However, direct evidence for the existence of two morphologically defined gliding flight strategies was equivocal, with only slightly stronger support for an evolutionary model positing separate morphological optima for these strategies than an alternative model positing a single peak. The absence of a clear result may be an artifact of low statistical power owing to a relatively small sample size of gliding flyers expected to follow the "aerial search" strategy.

A Review on Applications and Effects of Morphing Wing Technology on UAVs

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have excelled with their ability to perform the intended task on or without personnel. In recent years, UAVs have been designed for civilian purposes as well as military applications. Morphing wings are changeable wing applications developed as a result of the need for a different lift and drag forces in various phases of the flight of aircraft. It is an application that enables altering the wing aspect ratio, wing airfoil, wing airfoil camber ratio, wing reference area and even different angles of attack are obtained in different parts of the wing. Although morphing wing application has just begun on today’s UAVs, modern airliners already have morphing wingtip devices such as Boeing 777-X’s. The benefits of the use of morphing wings for UAVs make this technology important. UAVs with morphing wing technology; may increase its payload ratio, may achieve a shorter take-off distance, may land and stop in shorter distance, may take-off where runway clearance is limited, has more efficient altitude change at lower engine RPMs, can obtain higher cruise speeds, may decrease its stall speed, may lower its drag if necessary, thus; saving energy and time. This study concludes a review of literature over morphing wing technology.

Taxonomic and Functional Diversity and Composition of Bats in a Regenerating Neotropical Dry Forest

This study evaluated the response of bat communities, from a taxonomic and functional perspective, to variation in the vegetation and landscape attributes produced by anthropogenic activities. We characterized the following: (1) the community of phyllostomid and mormoopid bats associated with the initial successional stages of a tropical dry forest, (2) the response of these communities to the variation in the attributes of the vegetation and the landscape, and (3) how the seasonality modulates such response. This allowed us to identify potential mechanisms underlying the response of bat communities to human disturbance. Our results showed that the species negatively affected by the anthropoghenic disturbance are those with greater body mass, larger nose-leaves, or a lower wing aspect ratio and relative wing loading, which perform low-speed flights and have high maneuverability and, potentially, a high directionality in their emissions. We also detected a greater sensitivity of bats to changes in the landscape attributes regarding the riparian than the dry forest, and that the effect of anthropic transformation on bats was intensified during the dry season. Then, the continued loss of the original vegetation can lead to a loss of certain groups of bat species in neotropical landscapes, reducing the resilience of the system.

Functional Morphology of Gliding Flight I: Modeling Reveals Distinct Performance Landscapes Based on Soaring Strategies.

The physics of flight influences the morphology of bird wings through natural selection on flight performance. The connection between wing morphology and performance is unclear due to the complex relationships between various parameters of flight. In order to better understand this connection, we present a holistic analysis of gliding flight that preserves complex relationships between parameters. We use a computational model of gliding flight, along with analysis by uncertainty quantification, to (1) create performance landscapes of gliding based on output metrics (maximum lift-to-drag ratio, minimum gliding angle, minimum sinking speed, and lift coefficient at minimum sinking speed) and (2) predict what parameters of flight (chordwise camber, wing aspect ratio [AR], and Reynolds number) would differ between gliding and nongliding species of birds. We also examine performance based on the soaring strategy for possible differences in morphology within gliding birds. Gliding birds likely have greater ARs than non-gliding birds, due to the high sensitivity of AR on most metrics of gliding performance. Furthermore, gliding birds can use two distinct soaring strategies based on performance landscapes. First, maximizing distance traveled (maximizing lift-to-drag ratio and minimizing gliding angle) should result in wings with high ARs and middling-to-low wing chordwise camber. Second, maximizing lift extracted from updrafts should result in wings with middling ARs and high wing chordwise camber. Following studies can test these hypotheses using morphological measurements.

Effect of Wavy Leading Edge with Various Aspect Ratios on a Rectangular Wing

Learning from nature, the humpback whale can swim faster than other baleen whales. The humpback whale has the flipper with wavy leading edges (WLE), which has an improvement of hydrodynamic performance. The WLEs have the function to generate vortices to maintain lift and to prevent stall at high angles of attack. This research aim is to find out the WLE effect on hydrodynamic performance in different wing aspect ratios (AR), whose profile is the rectangular wing of NACA 0018 as a baseline wing. The WLE profile was designed by a sinusoidal function. We focused on steady flow conditions in both the experiments and numerical simulations. The experimental work was conducted in the circular water channel at Hiroshima University, Japan. Meanwhile, the numerical work was employed using RANS simulation with SST k-ω turbulence model. Based on the results, we clarified that the increase of AR could possess a higher lift coefficient (Cl), and then physically interpreted the WLE effect on various aspect ratios. This knowledge could be expanded into the application of eco-friendly energy-saving devices such as fin stabilizers of ships and wind turbines to improve hydrodynamic performance.

Optimization and analysis of winglet configuration for solar aircraft

Installing winglets can notably improve the aerodynamic performance of solar aircraft. This paper proposes a multi-constraints optimization method of winglets for solar aircraft, aiming to enhance the corresponding uninterrupted cruising capability. An optimization objective function is formed and is separately studied in aerodynamic and structural terms. Qualitative analysis shows that the winglet design parameters are restricted by four special constraints (geometry, aerodynamics, energy and stability) of solar aircraft. The optimization process is constructed on the basis of a multi-island genetic algorithm, and carried out for a 15 m wingspan solar aircraft. Although the designed winglet is not as good as the traditional winglet in terms of drag and structural weight, the designed winglet provides a better 24 h cruising capability. The sensitivity between the objective function and the design parameters is investigated, and the winglet effects vary with respect to the wing aspect ratio (AR = 10, 15, 19.6). The effect of the constraints is analysed quantitatively, and some basic laws are obtained. Moreover, the feasible design region and the possible optimal design parameters of winglets for different wing configurations are explored. The calculation results show that when the aspect ratio exceeds a certain value, the winglets will not benefit the aircraft.

Conceptual design and analysis of an affordable truss-braced wing regional jet aircraft

A regional, turbofan-powered, 72-passenger, transport aircraft with very high aspect ratio truss-braced wings is developed with an affordable methodology from an existing 52 passenger, conventional twin-turboprop aircraft. At first, the ration behind the selection of the truss-braced wing configuration is discussed. Next, the methodologies for the sizing, weight, aerodynamics, performance, and cost analysis are presented and validated against existing regional aircraft. The variant configurations and their design features are then discussed. Finally, sensitivity analysis is carried out to investigate the effects of the wing aspect ratio and engine bypass ratio on the aircraft weight, aerodynamics, and cost. It has been found that the penalties associated with the wing weight will prevent the acceptable realization of the high aspect ratio wing benefits, but when it is combined with the very high bypass ratio engines, a 17% reduction in the mission fuel weight is achieved. In contrast, the cost analysis has revealed that the application of higher aspect ratio wings in the truss-braced wing configuration may increase the development and maintenance costs. Consequently, with aspect ratios higher than 24, eventually, these costs may outperform the associated fuel cost reductions.

Genotype-environment interactions rule the response of a widespread butterfly to temperature variation.

Understanding how organisms adapt to complex environments is a central goal of evolutionary biology and ecology. This issue is of special interest in the current era of rapidly changing climatic conditions. Here, we investigate clinal variation and plastic responses in life history, morphology and physiology in the butterfly Pieris napi along a pan-European gradient by exposing butterflies raised in captivity to different temperatures. We found clinal variation in body size, growth rates and concomitant development time, wing aspect ratio, wing melanization and heat tolerance. Individuals from warmer environments were more heat-tolerant and had less melanised wings and a shorter development, but still they were larger than individuals from cooler environments. These findings suggest selection for rapid growth in the warmth and for wing melanization in the cold, and thus fine-tuned genetic adaptation to local climates. Irrespective of the origin of butterflies, the effects of higher developmental temperature were largely as expected, speeding up development; reducing body size, potential metabolic activity and wing melanization; while increasing heat tolerance. At least in part, these patterns likely reflect adaptive phenotypic plasticity. In summary, our study revealed pronounced plastic and genetic responses, which may indicate high adaptive capacities in our study organism. Whether this may help such species, though, to deal with current climate change needs further investigation, as clinal patterns have typically evolved over long periods.

The Effect of Aspect Ratio on Wall Pressure Fluctuations at a Wing-Plate Junction

AbstractMeasurements of the wall pressure fluctuations near a wing-plate junction were made for wings with three different aspect ratios (AR) of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 at several angles of attack. The chord-based Reynolds number for each wing was 274,000. The results show that the wall pressure fluctuations are a function of wing AR for cases where AR≤ 1.0. For each wing, the pressure fluctuations are highest upstream of the wing leading-edge due to three-dimensional flow separation; wings with AR = 1.0 and 0.5 show comparable levels, while those with AR = 0.2 show lower fluctuation levels over a wide frequency range. Downstream of the leading-edge, the pressure fluctuations decay rapidly on both sides of the wing until the maximum thickness location after which little variation is observed. The pressure fluctuations downstream of the leading-edge on the suction-side were observed to be comparable for AR = 0.2 and 0.5, while those for AR = 1.0 were higher in magnitude. On the pressure-side, the pressure fluctuations near the leading-edge are a weak function of AR; however, those further downstream remain independent of AR. The pressure fluctuations aft of the wing on the suction-side are more coherent for lower ARs and show higher convection velocity, possibly due to an interaction between the tip and the junction flows for lower ARs.

Low Reynolds Number Flow over Low Aspect Ratio Corrugated Wing

Voluminous research exists on the effect of combination of low Reynolds number flow over low aspect ratio flat plate wings for usage in micro-aerial vehicles and UAVs, as they also fly under similar conditions and combination of low aspect ratio and low Reynolds number. It has been well established by many researchers (Torres and Mueller in AIAA 42(5):865–873, 2004; Okamoto and Azuma in AIAA 49(6):1135–1150, 2011; Mizoguchi and Itoh in AIAA 51(7):7–52, 2013; Shields and Mohseni in AIAA 50(1):85–99, 2012; Mizoguchi and Kajikawa in Trans Jpn Soc Aero Sp Sci 59(2):56–63, 2016; Pelletier and Mueller in J Aircr 37(5):825–832, 2000; Liu and Hsiao in J Mech 28(01):77–89, 2012; Taira and Colonius in J Fluid Mech 623:187–207, 2009) that low aspect ratio wings in low Reynolds number flow gives a higher lift coefficient and stall angle is also increased which is quite different from the high aspect ratio wing. Also, it is a well-established fact in the existing literature that linear theories cannot be applied as in case of high aspect ratio wings because of non-linear increase in lift coefficient. The reason for such increase in lift and stall angle has been attributed to wingtip vortices that become prominent in low aspect ratio wings called the vortical lift which keeps on increasing up to a certain high angle of attack till it interacts with the separation bubble. In the past, very limited work has been done to study the vortices and their contribution in enhancement of aerodynamic characteristics. In the present work, flat plate model with corrugations at an aspect ratio (AR) of 1.0 are studied and compared with flat plate wing of AR 1.0; also flow visualization in water tunnel has been carried out at Reynolds number of 102 to ascertain the flow physics involved.

Growth rate and locomotor performance tradeoff is not universal in birds.

Though a tradeoff between growth rate and locomotor performance has been proposed, empirical data on this relationship are still limited. Here we statistically analyze the associations of growth rate and flight ability in birds by assessing how growth rate is correlated with three wing parameters of birds: flight muscle ratio, wing aspect ratio, and wing loading. We find that fast-growing birds tended to have higher flight muscle ratios and higher wing loadings than slow-growing birds, which suggests that fast-growing birds may have better takeoff performance, but lower efficiency in maneuvering flight. Accordingly, our findings suggest that the relationship between growth rate and flight ability is more complex than a simple tradeoff. Since the hindlimbs also contribute greatly to the locomotion of birds, future investigations on the relationship between growth rate and hindlimb performance will provide more insights into the evolution of birds.

Wing Morphology and Body Design in Opsiphanes and Caligo Butterflies Match the Demands of Male Mating Displays (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

AbstractThere is noticeable variation in male mate-seeking behavior among species of Brassolini butterflies. Males of Opsiphanes Doubleday and Caligo Hübner (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) species perform crepuscular displays along forest edges and in light gaps. While male Opsiphanes perform aerial displays, Caligo males perch and wait for receptive females. A comparison of five species of each genus suggests that male display behavior is associated with, and has likely influenced the evolution of their wing attributes and body design. Opsiphanes males have higher wing aspect ratio and more distal centroid position than congeneric females, suggesting that the energetic demands of aerial displays led to sexual dimorphism in wing morphology. In contrast, male and female Caligo generally showed similar wing morphology, which possibly results from the lower energy expenditure of perching behavior when compared with active flight. Likely due to a genetic correlation between sexes, female Opsiphanes and Caligo are more similar in wing morphology and body design to their congeneric males than to each other. Based on our analyses, we make predictions about reproductive behavior for four species in which male mating displays are unknown.

Aerodynamic interference depends on stroke plane spacing and wing aspect ratio in damselfly model wings

The fluid dynamics of aerodynamic force control in insects depends on how oscillating wings interact with the surrounding air. The resulting flow structures are shaped by the flow induced by the wi...

Static loads evaluation in a flexible aircraft using high-fidelity fluid–structure iteration tool (E2-FSI): extended version

This paper presents a fluid–structure iteration method applied as a study case to a conventional transport aircraft with wing aspect ratio of 12. It evaluates the nonlinear structure effect on the calculation of static limit loads. The numerical tool presented herein is named E2-FSI, which stands for nonlinear high-fidelity static fluid–structure iteration, developed for high flexibility static aeroelastic evaluations. A discussion about the use and the applicability of high-fidelity static fluid–structure iteration for the calculation of static loads is presented as part of the conclusion, for both current and future conventional transport aircraft.