Re: Dinosaurs and birds

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

On Wednesday, April 4, 2007, at 02:38  PM, Tommy Tyrberg wrote:

> As a matter of fact a wing with a lift-producing profile (like 
> Archaeopteryx) will create more, not less, drag than a non-lift 
> producing one.

True, but if the wing isn't being used to generate lift, then a 
forelimb without an airfoil is even better still, since it would reduce 
drag even further.  Producing induced drag and greater profile drag are 
both worth it if you get out significant lift in return.  If the 
forelimbs of Archaeopteryx were not lift-producing structures, then the 
advantage to paying the drag costs seems a bit odd (even though it 
would only be paying for profile drag in that case).  That doesn't mean 
that Archaeopteryx had to be flight capable, it merely makes it a bit 
odd if it was not.

Cheers,

--Mike H.