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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Investigating the Three-dimensional Flow Separation Induced by a Model Vocal Fold Polyp
Published on: February 3, 2014
Falling paper: Navier-Stokes solutions, model of fluid forces, and center of mass elevation
Umberto Pesavento1, Z Jane Wang
1Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. up22@cornell.edu
Abstract:
We investigate the problem of falling paper by solving the two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations subject to the motion of a free-falling body at Reynolds numbers around 10(3). The aerodynamic lift on a tumbling plate is found to be dominated by the product of linear and angular velocities rather than velocity squared, as appropriate for an airfoil. This coupling between translation and rotation provides a mechanism for a brief elevation of center of mass near the cusplike turning points. The Navier-Stokes solutions further provide the missing quantity in the classical theory of lift, the instantaneous circulation, and suggest a revised model for the fluid forces.
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