[Effect of additional loading on kinematics and hydrodynamics of dolphins]

The results of comparative measurements of hydrodynamic resistance of a solid model of dolphin and of additional load imitating an autonomous apparatus placed on the dolphin body are presented. The loading included cylinders (with rounded anterior and posterior ends) and spheres. They were fixed on the dorsal fin of the dolphin model in such a way that the interrelationship between the load and the model by a water stream minimal. In several experiments, a thick ring (dr = 10 mm) was fixed in the region of the dolphin respiratory opening to reach the turbulence of the boundary layer. The dolphin model with loads was towed in a speed range between 1.0 and 4.5 m/s. It was shown that the hydrodynamic resistance of additional loads is comparable with the resistance of the solid dolphin model. For the entire spectrum of loading in the preset range of towing speeds, the coefficient of hydrodynamic resistance of loading (according to the area of the wet body surface) was from 10 to 145% of the coefficient of the dolphin model resistance. It was assumed that the results of the measurements of kinematics and hydrodynamic characteristics of a freely-swimming dolphin can substantially differ from the results obtained on a dolphin carrying devices (at restricted power of the animal). Similar problems can also arise if the animals will carry devices with a higher hydrodynamic resistance.