Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Committee Chair
Chang Kwon Kang
Committee Member
Farbod Fahimi
Committee Member
Kyong-Ho Roh
Subject(s)
Monarch butterfly, Wings (Anatomy)--Aerodynamics, Flight
Abstract
Monarch Butterflies are capable of flying over 4000 kilometers as they migrate from North America to Mexico. In regard to the aerodynamic mechanisms that drive this extensive flight, little is known. This thesis is motivated by the hypothesis that their flapping wing flight is enhanced by fluid-structure interactions. The objective was to quantify the aeroelastic performance of a real monarch butterfly wing at flapping amplitudes near monarch free-flight amplitudes. The performance of the real monarch butterfly wing was tested by measuring the wing motion and lift at a flapping amplitude of 55° and frequencies between 7.0 and 14.4 Hz. The wing produced a peak lift at 10.3 Hz, approximately the flapping frequency of a live monarch butterfly, with a maximum force of 8.4 mN, sufficient to lift a butterfly's weight. The pitch amplitude increased linearly as the frequency increased with the pitch amplitude at the peak lift being 15.8°.
Recommended Citation
Morris, Timothy Daniel Robert, "Experimental measurements of the wing deformation and force production of real monarch butterfly wings" (2021). Theses. 697.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/697