Leading-edge tubercles delay stall on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) flippers
@article{Miklosovic2004LeadingedgeTD, title={Leading-edge tubercles delay stall on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) flippers}, author={David S. Miklosovic and Mark M. Murray and Laurens E. Howle and Frank E. Fish}, journal={Physics of Fluids}, year={2004}, volume={16} }
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is exceptional among the baleen whales in its ability to undertake acrobatic underwater maneuvers to catch prey. In order to execute these banking and turning maneuvers, humpback whales utilize extremely mobile flippers. The humpback whale flipper is unique because of the presence of large protuberances or tubercles located on the leading edge which gives this surface a scalloped appearance. We show, through wind tunnel measurements, that the addition…
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