Towards a standard application of the Reynolds number in studies of aquatic animal locomotion.

Abstract

Non-dimensional groups of measured quantities enable comparison between measurements of animals under different conditions and comparison between species. One of the most used such groups is the Reynolds number, which compares inertial and viscous contributions to forces on swimming animals. This group includes two quantities that are chosen by the researcher: a typical length and speed. Choosing these parameters will affect the numerical value of the Reynolds number, defining the state of the fluid flow. For example, by choosing fish body length as opposed to propulsive fin chord, results may vary by an order of magnitude with consequences for analysis and hydrodynamic regimes. Here, we suggest a standardized set of lengths and speeds to be used for aquatic animal locomotion to enable confident utilization of data from different sources. This framework aims to improve comparative studies within the field.