AMSI-ANZIAM Lecture: Fast-inating fluid mechanics on snail

Speaker: Professor Sunghwan Jung
Affiliation: Cornell University

Abstract

Animals inhabit complex environments and carry out various functions. By studying animal behaviors, we can uncover valuable insights to enhance the design and development of engineering devices. We explore the intriguing abilities of snails to capture floating food particles on the water surface using their undulating foot. By studying the undulator’s two-dimensional traveling waves, we unveil a mechanism for large-scale pumping of thin liquid near the liquid-air interface. Interestingly, we discover that the flow rates depend non-monotonically on the wave speed, and we propose an optimal speed that maximizes pumping efficiency through our analysis of the thin-film equations. This research sheds light on a novel mode of pumping with reduced energy dissipation near a free surface, which can be useful in designing a robot for collecting micro plastics. If time permits, I will discuss the drinking dynamics of bats on the wing.