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The atmospheric ablation of meteoroids is a striking example of the reshaping of a solid object due to its motion through a fluid. Motivated by meteorite samples collected on Earth that suggest fixed orientation during flight—most notably the conical shape of so-called oriented meteorites—we hypothesize that such forms result from an aerodynamic stabilization of posture that may be achieved only by specific shapes. Here, we investigate this issue of flight stability in the parallel context of fluid mechanical erosion of clay bodies in flowing water, which yields shapes resembling oriented meteorites. We conduct laboratory experiments on conical objects freely moving through water and fixed within imposed flows to determine the dependence of orientational stability on shape. During free motion, slender cones undergo postural instabilities, such as inversion and tumbling, and broad or dull forms exhibit oscillatory modes, such as rocking and fluttering. Only intermediate shapes, including the stereotypical form carved by erosion, achieve stable orientation and straight flight with apex leading. We corroborate these findings with systematic measurements of torque and stability potentials across cones of varying apex angle, which furnish a complete map of equilibrium postures and their stability. By showing that the particular conical form carved in unidirectional flows is also posturally stable as a free body in flight, these results suggest a self-consistent picture for the origin of oriented meteorites.
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Yardangs sculpted by erosion of heterogeneous material
The recognizable shapes of landforms arise from processes such as erosion by wind or water currents. However, explaining the physical origin of natural structures is challenging due to the coupled evolution of complex flow fields and three-dimensional (3D) topographies. We investigate these issues in a laboratory setting inspired by yardangs, which are raised, elongate formations whose characteristic shape suggests erosion of heterogeneous material by directional flows. We combine experiments and simulations to test an origin hypothesis involving a harder or less erodible inclusion embedded in an outcropping of softer material. Optical scans of clay objects fixed within flowing water reveal a transformation from a featureless mound to a yardang-like form resembling a lion in repose. Phase-field simulations reproduce similar shape dynamics and show their dependence on the erodibility contrast and flow strength. Through visualizations of the flow fields and analysis of the local erosion rate, we identify effects associated with flow funneling and the turbulent wake that are responsible for carving the unique geometrical features. This highly 3D scouring process produces complex shapes from simple and commonplace starting conditions and is thus a candidate explanation for natural yardangs. The methods introduced here should be generally useful for geomorphological problems and especially those for which material heterogeneity is a primary factor.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2206573
- PAR ID:
- 10611770
- Publisher / Repository:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Volume:
- 121
- Issue:
- 30
- ISSN:
- 0027-8424
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2322411121
