Pulsing corals: A story of scale and mixing

TL;DR

This study uses 3D simulations to analyze how pulsing corals generate fluid mixing and transport across different flow regimes, revealing a threshold Re value for effective upward flow.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed 3D fluid-structure interaction model of pulsing corals to quantify fluid transport and mixing across various Reynolds numbers.

Findings

Negligible net transport for Re<10

Continuous upward flow for Re≥10

Coral morphology influences fluid mixing efficiency

Abstract

Effective methods of fluid transport vary across scale. A commonly used dimensionless number for quantifying the effective scale of fluid transport is the Reynolds number, Re, which gives the ratio of inertial to viscous forces. What may work well for one Re regime may not produce significant flows for another. These differences in scale have implications for many organisms, ranging from the mechanics of how organisms move through their fluid environment to how hearts pump at various stages in development. Some organisms, such as soft pulsing corals, actively contract their tentacles to generate mixing currents that enhance photosynthesis. Their unique morphology and intermediate scale where both viscous and inertial forces are significant make them a unique model organism for understanding fluid mixing. In this paper, 3D fluid-structure interaction simulations of a pulsing soft coral are used to quantify fluid transport and fluid mixing across a wide range of Re. The results show that net transport is negligible for $Re<10$, and continuous upward flow is produced for $Re\geq 10$.