This image comes from the NASA Dryden Flow Visualization Facility, which is a water tunnel. Displayed is a 1/48 scale F/A-18, with dye being added so that we can see how the flow changes over the plane. This water tunnel was created to study strong vortexes of aircraft while at high angles of attack and make improvements of said aircraft to prevent them. This image is especially beautiful because the dye allows us to see the transition from laminar to turbulent flow in real life, not just in a computer simulation. Something to note is there isn’t a transition to turbulent flow until the flow hits the wing.
This image comes directly from NASA, more specifically the NASA Dryden Flow Visualization Facility.
The article can be found here.
5 Comments. Leave new
Third Prize! Beautifully aesthetic and a great display of flow visualization. The differences between laminar and turbulent flow, and the mix of both of them shows the fervent nature and strength of fluid elements. Picture also displays great symmetry amongst such turbulent flow.
Third Place. As an aeronautical enthusiast, I extremely appreciate the art behind this beast of a war-machine
Second Prize! The fluid flow and turblulence around the model is very interesting and eye catching.
Second Prize! This image really shows applied flow visualization. It’s incredible to see the different streams and where they change from laminar to turbulent. It’s also cool to see how they mix later on. The image also is very focused on the colors of the streams with very little other color in the background, which keeps you focused.
Third Prize!
The colors on this image are incredible. This image allows me to see exactly how fluid would flow around a real F-18 instead of a model. Although I wish there were more defined flow lines, the dye seems to just become a cloud towards the bottom of the image.