Analysis of the swimming of long and narrow animals

Abstract

The swimming of long animals like snakes, eels and marine worms is idealized by considering the equilibrium of a flexible cylinder immersed in water when waves of bending of constant amplitude travel down it at constant speed. The force of each element of the cylinder is assumed to be the same as that which would act on a corresponding element of a long straight cylinder moving at the same speed and inclination to the direction of motion. Relevant aerodynamic data for smooth cylinders are first generalized to make them applicable over a wide range of speed and cylinder diameter. The formulae so obtained are applied to the idealized animal and a connexion established between B/λ, V/U and R₁. Here B and λ are the amplitude and wave-length, V the velocity attained when the wave is propagated with velocity U, R₁ is the Reynolds number Udρ/μ, where d is the diameter of the cylinder, ρ and μ are the density and viscosity of water. The results of calculation are compared with James Gray’s photographs of a swimming snake and a leech. The amplitude of the waves which produce the greatest forward speed for a given output of energy is calculated and found, in the case of the snake, to be very close to that revealed by photographs. Similar calculations using force formulae applicable to rough cylinders yield results which differ from those for smooth ones in that when the roughness is sufficiently great and has a certain directional character propulsion can be achieved by a wave of bending which is propagated forward instead of backward. Gray’s photographs of a marine worm show that this remarkable method of propulsion does in fact occur in the animal world.