Many experimental techniques in fluid dynamics use lasers. One such technique, particle image velocimetry (PIV), introduces tiny particles into the flow and uses a laser to illuminate the particles. By Keep reading
Tag: PIV
Flying with Large Ears
Evolution often requires compromise between competing effects. Large-eared bats, for example, rely on the size of their ears to aid their echolocation, but such large ears can hurt them aerodynamically, Keep reading
Effects of Hills on Flow
Hills and other topology can have interesting and complex effects on a flowfield. With the FAITH experiment, NASA has been investigating an axisymmetric model hill using a combination of experimental Keep reading
Particle Image Velocimetry
One common experimental technique for measuring velocity in a flow is particle image velocimetry (PIV), shown above. Special particles are introduced–seeded–into the flow. Typically, these particles are small, neutrally buoyant, and Keep reading
Flow Visualization
[original media no longer available] This video gives a neat introduction to some common and uncommon techniques used to visualize fluid flows.