Overview

It has been great fun to write this book, even though it has taken longer than planned, and occasionally been exasperating. The most difficult problem was deciding what to exclude among so many interesting things, because the available material usually exceeded the space. Because a book like this covers so many aspects, each component must be limited. This book is intended for graduate and undergraduate students as well as professional scientists who want to work with animal flight or to gain some insight into flight mechanics, aerodynamics, energetics, physiology, morpho­ logy, ecology and evolution. My aim has not been to give the whole mathe­ matical explanation of flight, but to provide an outline and summary of the main theories for the understanding of how aerofoils respond to an airflow. I also hope to give the reader some insight into how flight morphology and the various wing shapes have evolved and are adapted to different ecological niches and habitats.

Full Product Details

Author:   Ulla M. Norberg
Publisher:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG
Imprint:   Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
Edition:   Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1990
Volume:   27
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.470kg
ISBN:  

9783642838507

ISBN 10:   3642838502
Pages:   291
Publication Date:   08 December 2011
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction.- 1.1 Gliders.- 1.2 Active Flyers.- 1.3 Outline of the Book.- 2. Basic Aerodynamics.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 The Flow Around an Aerofoil.- 2.3 Blade-Element and Momentum Jet Theories.- 2.4 Vortex Theory of Flight.- 3. Physiology of Flight.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Energy and Mechanical Efficiency.- 3.3 Metabolic Rates.- 3.4 Oxygen Uptake.- 3.5 Altitudinal Changes.- 3.6 Estimates for Cost of Flight.- 3.7 Flight Duration, Flight Range and Cost of Transport.- 4. Morphological Flight Parameters.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Lenghts, Areas, Masses.- 4.3 Wing Shape.- 4.4 Weis-Fogh’s and Ellington’s Shape Parameters.- 5. Gliding Flight.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Gliding Performance.- 5.3 Effects of Change in Wingspan on Gliding Performance.- 5.4 Lifting Line Theory.- 5.5 Flap-Gliding.- 5.6 Stability and Control of Movements.- 6. Soaring.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Soaring Methods.- 6.3 Soaring Performance and Flight Morphology.- 6.4 Bats and Pterosaurs.- 7. Migration.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Orientation and Navigation.- 7.3 Flight Range.- 7.4 Cruising Speed and Flight Time.- 7.5 Effect of Wind.- 7.6 Evolution of Soaring Migration.- 7.7 Formation Flight.- 8. Hovering Flight.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Kinematics of Hovering.- 8.3 The Rankine-Froude Momentum Theory.- 8.4 Blade-Element Theory.- 8.5 Vortex Theory.- 8.6 Animals with Sustained Hovering.- 8.7 Summary and for Ecologists and Others: Recipes for Power Calculation.- 9. Forward Flight.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Wing Kinematics.- 9.3 Relative Airspeeds and Forces.- 9.4 Vorticity Action.- 9.5 Power Requirements for Horizontal Forward Flight.- 9.6 Take-Off, Climbing and Landing.- 9.7 Flight Manoeuvres.- 9.8 Energy-Saving Types of Flight.- 9.9 For Ecologists and Others: Recipes for Power Calculation.- 10. Scaling.- 10.1Introduction.- 10.2 Geometric Similarity.- 10.3 Estimated Relationships Between Wing Characteristics and Body Mass.- 10.4 Upper and Lower Size Limits.- 11. Morphological Adaptations for Flight.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 Muscle System.- 11.3 Skeleton System.- 11.4 Feather Structure and Function.- 11.5 Wing Adaptations Enhancing Flight Performance.- 11.6 Tail and Feet.- 12. Flight and Ecology.- 12.1 Introduction.- 12.2 Predictions on Wing Shape and Flight Behaviour.- 12.3 Wing Design in Birds.- 12.4 Wing Shape and Foraging Energetics of Hummingbirds at Different Altitudes.- 12.5 Wing Design of Species in a Pariform Guild.- 12.6 Wing Design in Bats.- 12.7 Wing Design and Echolocation Call Structure in Bats.- 12.8 Evolution of Wing Morphology.- 13. Evolution of Flight.- 13.1 The Major Theories.- 13.2 Transition from Gliding to Flapping Flight, an Aerodynamic Model.- 13.3 The Ground-Running and Jumping Scenario, a Discussion.- 13.4 The Climbing Ability in Proto-Fliers.- 14. Concluding Remarks.- References.

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