Swimmers’ wake structures are not reliable indicators of swimming performance
Daniel Floryan, Tyler Van Buren, Alexander J. Smits
Abstract
The structure of swimmers' wakes is often assumed to be an indicator of swimming performance, that is, how momentum is produced and energy is consumed. Here, we discuss three cases where this assumption fails. In general, great care should be taken in deriving any conclusions about swimming performance from the wake flow pattern.
Topics & Concepts
WakeMomentum (technical analysis)Flow (mathematics)MechanicsAerospace engineeringComputer scienceMarine engineeringEnvironmental scienceSimulationEngineeringPhysicsEconomicsFinanceBiomimetic flight and propulsion mechanismsFluid Dynamics and Turbulent FlowsSports Dynamics and Biomechanics