Low-Speed Wind Tunnel
When Canadian speed skater Catriona LeMay Doan wanted a winning suit to wear at the 2002 Olympics, she came to NRC's low-speed wind tunnel. The 2-metre by 3-metre wind tunnel is used to test the aerodynamics of everything from motorcycles to skidoos at winds of up to 450 km/hr. Here Doan strikes and holds a characteristic racing pose while buffeted by 40 km/hr wind. This enabled researchers to compare the drag provided by her six different racing suits. The tests found that some suits were "faster" – and the rest is now gold medal history. |
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