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Dinosaur running abilities



Good day!

Games of the XXIX. Olympiade in Beijing begin tomorrow and so I decided to post 
this topic on DML. Iâm considering the âathleticâ abilities (esp. running 
speed) of various non-avian dinosaurs in comparison with human athletes. Iâve 
published an article on âdinosaur running speedâ a few months ago (note the 
graphic scheme at the bottom of it): 

http://www.zshorakhk.cz/tvorba/ucitele/rychlost.pdf

As a long time athletic fan, Iâm keeping many kinds of athletic world record 
statistics (progression, comparisons, performance limits etc). Two of my Czech 
articles on this topic can be found here:

http://www.zshorakhk.cz/tvorba/ucitele/atletika.pdf

http://www.zshorakhk.cz/tvorba/ucitele/atletika2.pdf
 

This year sprint performance improved considerably, as Jamaican sprinter Usain 
Bolt ran a new world record of 9.72 seconds and American Tyson Gay even wind 
aided 9.68 s, best performance in history under any conditions.
 
More of an interest for biomechanical science would be a top speed achieved by 
the fastest sprinter. According to some sources another Jamaican Asafa Powell 
achieved straight 48.0 kmh (or 29.82 mph) in 2005. This value is somewhat 
doubtful however, as it means that Powell ran 4.1 kmh (1.1 m/s) faster than 
anyone else in history (12.19 m/s - 13.33 m/s).* ItÂs likely way exaggerated, 
the highest reliable value being 43.9 kmh (27.28 mph; 12.19 m/s). 

Estimates for the top speed recently appeared as a reaction to these thoughts. 
Some of these came to conclusion, that human body is capable of achieving even 
53 km/h (14.72 m/s!) when sprinting.

(As for the confusion on the matter of âaverage v. top speedâ. The former 
is 10.29 m/s - 37.04 kmh for the current 100 m WR of 9.72 s (v=s/t x 3.6, i.e. 
100/9.72 x 3.6 for kmh), while top speed is a maximum speed achieved on the 
fastest 10 m split (like .82 seconds achieved by American Maurice Greene when 
finishing 100m in 9.85 s back in 1999))     


As for the question: How could possibly better understanding of 
biomechanics of human body help understand the principles of locomotion in 
(bipedal) dinosaurs and vice versa? IÂve noticed a few studies on this matter 
with an elephants, emus, antelopes or rhinoceroses as model organisms. Iâve 
noticed recent study on dinosaur speed using 3D computer models, but some 
results are rather dubious (especially 64 kmh for Compsognathus seems way too 
much). A short table of the speed of some non-avian dinosaur âgroupsâ plus 
their virtual 100 m top speed time below (of course these are just âidealâ, 
not real, times). 


Estimated top speed for various dinosaur groups (for comparison: fastest 
crocodile on land 17 kmh/21s; lizard 34.9 kmh/10.3 s; ostrich 73 kmh/4.9 s):

Large sauropods (over 20 tones in weight), large thyreophorans: 4-8 kmh (100 m 
in about 45s - 90s)

Smaller sauropods, large ornithopods: 10-15 kmh (100 m in 25s â 35s)

Large theropods: 25-35 kmh (100 m in 15s â 10s) (Allosaurus 34 kmh, 
Tyrannosaurus 28-36 kmh)

Human sprinter: 43.9 kmh (fastest 10 m split in 0.82s) 

Fastest ceratopians: 35-45 kmh (100 m in 10s â 8s)

Dromaeosaurids: over 40 kmh (100 m in 9s)

Fastest hadrosaurs (Edmontosaurus âDakotaâ): 45 kmh (100 m in about 8s))

Fastest large theropods: Giganotosaurus over 40 kmh (?), juvenile Albertosaurus 
over 50 kmh (100 m in 9s and 7s; resp.)


Ornithomimosaurs, cursorial ornithopods: 60 â 80 kmh (100 m in 6s â 4.5s)


Best Wishes, Vladimir

____________________________
http://dinosaurus.bloguje.cz