re: Archaeopteryx running

[John R Hutchinson <jrhutch@stanford.edu>]

> From: "Williams, Tim"
> <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>
> To: "'John R Hutchinson '" <jrhutch@Stanford.EDU>
> Cc: "'dinosaur@usc.edu'" <dinosaur@usc.edu>
> Subject: RE: that paper of ours
> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 12:50:14 -0600
> X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21)
>
>
> Firstly, thanks for the replies.  I enjoyed reading the paper,
> though I
> admit that most of the math went over my head.


It took me a long time to work it out, myself.  But it is all within
the capability of a junior undergrad in physics or engineering to
understand; no fancy calculus or anything.  Could be done on paper;
we just used computers to help with the sensitivity analysis.



> Secondly, John Hutchinson
> wrote:
>
> > >Very, very interesting stuff.  It will be even more
> interesting to see >
> >this model tested against other, smaller theropods and other 
> > >dinosaurs.  I would be interested in seeing how other young
> > >tyrannosaurs and ornithomimosaurs fare in this model.
> >
> >We model a quite small tyrannosaur (FMNH PR 2211 I think), which
> should >be
> the same as an ornithomimosaur I'd expect; about twice as good at
> >running
> as an adult Tyrannosaurus.
>
>
> I'd be especially interested in using _Archaeopteryx_ as a model,
> particularly in light of Burgers' work on running take-offs - with
> the
> forelimbs/wings used as putative thrust-generators.  I wonder
> if
> _Archaeopteryx_'s hindlimbs were adequate for generating enough
> groundspeed
> to assist in overcoming the "velocity gap"?
>
> Cheers
>
> Tim


A good question for someone to study in more detail; I've only done a
quick calculation with a simple models of Archaeopteryx before, and got
expected results: pretty good at running -- roughly the same as a
chicken, with a fair margin of error.  I am not totally convinced by
the thrust-generator arguments, nor am I certain that Archaeopteryx could
have run exactly fast enough, or how fast that really would be.  I
don't think we can presently rule out the possibility for sure, or
confirm it.  Run with it, somebody!  I believe I can fly, la
dee da....     :)




> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Timothy J. Williams 
>
> USDA-ARS Researcher 
> Agronomy Hall 
> Iowa State University 
> Ames IA 50014 
>
> Phone: 515 294 9233 
> Fax:   515 294 3163

===========================================
John R Hutchinson
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Biomechanical Engineering Division
Stanford University
Durand 209, BME
Stanford, CA 94305-4038
(650) 736-0804 lab
(415) 871-6437 cell
(650) 725-1587 fax
http://tam.cornell.edu/students/garcia/.trex_www/naturepaper.html
===========================================