Steering chiral swimmers along noisy helical paths

TL;DR

This paper models the stochastic geometry of chiral swimmer paths and demonstrates how simple feedback mechanisms enable navigation along chemoattractant gradients despite noise.

Contribution

It introduces a mathematical framework for noisy helical swimming paths and shows how simple feedback can achieve chemotaxis in fluctuating environments.

Findings

Chiral swimmers can effectively navigate chemoattractant gradients with feedback.

Derived an equation linking helical path alignment to dipole orientation.

Analyzed the impact of fluctuations on chemotaxis efficiency.

Abstract

Chemotaxis along helical paths towards a target releasing a chemoattractant is found in sperm cells and many microorganisms. We discuss the stochastic differential geometry of the noisy helical swimming path of a chiral swimmer. A chiral swimmer equipped with a simple feedback system can navigate in a concentration gradient of chemoattractant. We derive an effective equation for the alignment of helical paths with a concentration gradient which is related to the alignment of a dipole in an external field. We discuss the chemotaxis index in the presence of fluctuations.