Bat and bird flight spectacular

Florian Muijres PhD thesis entitles "Feathers by day, Membranes by night - Aerodynamic performance in bird and bat flight" has been published. The thesis contains seven different studies about aerodynamic performance in bats and birds. Two papers describe a high lift mechanism - Leading Edge Vortex - used by bats and pied flycatchers when flying slowly. This vortex enhances lift by 40% or more in these vertebrates, and before Florians work it was thought to be a typical insect mechanism. In other papers time-resolved PIV is used to work out aerodynamic efficiency of bats and birds, and to evaluate an adaptation of the classic actuator concept of flapping flight. Florian is to be congratulated to marvelous thesis, which is not only interesting on the inside but also beautiful on the outside. The public defense will take place on 28 April at 10:00 am, in the Blue Lecture Hall, Ecology Building, Lund. As faculty opponent we are very glad to welcome Professor Tom Daniel, University of Washington, Seattle.