A bubble ring, or toroidal bubble, is an underwater vortex ring where an air bubble occupies the core of the vortex, forming a ring shape. The ring of air as well as the nearby water spins poloidally as it travels through the water, much like a flexible bracelet might spin when it is rolled on to a persons arm. The faster the bubble ring spins, the more stable it becomes. Bubble rings and smoke rings are both examples of vortex rings—the physics of which is still under active study in fluid dynamics. Devices have been invented which generate bubble vortex rings. Cetaceans, such as beluga whales, dolphinsand humpback whales, blow bubble rings. Dolphins sometimes engage in complex play behaviours, creating bubble rings on purpose, seemingly for amusement. There are two main methods of bubble ring production: rapid puffing of a burst of air into the water and allowing it to rise to the surface, forming a ring; or creating a toroidal vortex with their flukes and injecting a bubble into the helicalvortex currents thus formed. The dolphin will often then examine its creation visually and with sonar. They will sometimes play with the bubbles, distorting the bubble rings, breaking smaller bubble rings off of the original or splitting the original ring into two separate rings using their beak. They also appear to enjoy biting the vortex-rings theyve created, so that they burst into many separate normal bubbles and then rise quickly to the surface. Dolphins also have the ability to form bubble rings with their flukes by using the reservoir of air at the surface. Humpback whales use another type of bubble ring when they forage for fish. They surround a school of forage fish with a circular bubble net and herd them into a bait ball. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_ring
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 03:37:57 +0000
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