Locomotion in Developing Artemia Larvae: Mechanical Analysis of Antennal Propulsors Based on Large-Scale Physical Models.

A physical model of the swimming appendage (second antenna) of a larval Artemia was oscillated and translated through a tank of glycerine to determine how such a shape may be used to generate thrust at the intermediate Reynolds numbers at which it operates. Force on the model was measured by strain gauges and used to calculate coefficients of drag at a series of speeds and frequencies that represented flow regimes of different larval stages. Measured coefficients of drag (Cd) over this Reynolds number range ({approx}1-10) suggest that an expression for a cylinder perpendicular to flow at intermediate Reynolds number (Cd = 1 + 10 Re-2/3) best represents the changes in drag coefficients for this geometry. Unsteady forces were found to be a negligible portion of the force on the model in spite of a high ratio of frequency of oscillation to forward translational velocity (i.e., Strouhal number). Comparison of the thrust generated by the model with its fan of setae rigidly fixed versus passively flexing suggests that passive extension of setae can be influenced by relative limb and body speed.