  We experimentally study the dynamics and strength of vortices shed from a
NACA 0012 wing undergoing sinusoidal pitching in quiescent water. We
characterize the temporal evolution of the vortex trajectory and circulation
over a range of pitching frequencies, amplitudes and pivot locations. By
employing a physics-based force and moment partitioning method (FMPM), we
estimate the vortex-induced aerodynamic moment from the velocity fields
measured using particle image velocimetry. The vortex circulation, formation
time and vorticity-induced moment are shown to follow scaling laws based on the
feeding shear-layer velocity. The vortex dynamics, together with the spatial
distribution of the vorticity-induced moment, provide quantitative explanations
for the nonlinear behaviors observed in the fluid damping (Zhu et al., J. Fluid
Mech., vol. 923, 2021, R2). The FMPM-estimated moment and damping are shown to
match well in trend with direct force measurements, despite a discrepancy in
magnitude. Our results demonstrate the powerful capability of the FMPM in
dissecting experimental flow field data and providing valuable insights into
the underlying flow physics.
