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Auteurs principaux: Hui, Jiang, Uchida, Nariya
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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Accès en ligne:https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.14127
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author Hui, Jiang
Uchida, Nariya
author_facet Hui, Jiang
Uchida, Nariya
contents We investigate how localized inhomogeneity affects the geometry and stability of migratory bird formations. We use a lifting-line model with a horseshoe-vortex representation to describe the longitudinal dynamics of aerodynamic interactions. As a reference case, we first analyze homogeneous formations and show that their steady states exhibit a U-shaped geometry with hierarchical streamwise spacing, in which adjacent birds become progressively closer toward the leader. We then introduce localized inhomogeneity by modifying the wingspan of a single bird, with its physical properties determined by scaling relations. We determine the range of wingspan variation that preserves a stable formation. The stability range depends strongly on the position of the modified bird, being narrower near the outer wing and broader near the leader. These findings provide a minimal dynamical framework for understanding how local aerodynamic interactions and localized individual differences affect collective flight structures.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_14127
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Localized inhomogeneity and position-dependent stability of migratory bird formations
Hui, Jiang
Uchida, Nariya
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Fluid Dynamics
We investigate how localized inhomogeneity affects the geometry and stability of migratory bird formations. We use a lifting-line model with a horseshoe-vortex representation to describe the longitudinal dynamics of aerodynamic interactions. As a reference case, we first analyze homogeneous formations and show that their steady states exhibit a U-shaped geometry with hierarchical streamwise spacing, in which adjacent birds become progressively closer toward the leader. We then introduce localized inhomogeneity by modifying the wingspan of a single bird, with its physical properties determined by scaling relations. We determine the range of wingspan variation that preserves a stable formation. The stability range depends strongly on the position of the modified bird, being narrower near the outer wing and broader near the leader. These findings provide a minimal dynamical framework for understanding how local aerodynamic interactions and localized individual differences affect collective flight structures.
title Localized inhomogeneity and position-dependent stability of migratory bird formations
topic Pattern Formation and Solitons
Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.14127