Scientists at the University of Oregon have discovered that colonies of gelatinous sea animals swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.
Scientists at the University of Oregon have discovered that colonies of gelatinous sea animals swim through the ocean in giant corkscrew shapes using coordinated jet propulsion, an unusual kind of locomotion that could inspire new designs for efficient underwater vehicles.
The research involves salps, small creatures that look similar to jellyfish that take a nightly journey from the depths of the ocean to the surface. Observing that migration with special cameras helped UO researchers and their colleagues capture the macroplankton’s graceful, coordinated swimming behavior.
“The largest migration on the planet happens every single night: the vertical migration of planktonic organisms from the deep sea to the surface,” said Kelly Sutherland, an associate professor in biology at the UO’s Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, who led the research. “They’re running a marathon every day using novel fluid mechanics. These organisms can be platforms for inspiration on how to build robots that efficiently traverse the deep sea.”
Read more at University of Oregon
Image: UO biologist Kelly Sutherland uses a special camera to capture the swimming motion of salps (Photo: Victoria Scriven)
