The kinetic regime of the Vicsek model

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the kinetic and hydrodynamic regimes of the Vicsek model for self-propelling particles, proposing a mean-field approach and comparing theoretical predictions with simulations, also relating it to the Kuramoto model.

Contribution

It introduces a mean-field approach accounting for density-velocity correlations and distinguishes kinetic and hydrodynamic regimes in the Vicsek model.

Findings

Identification of kinetic and hydrodynamic regimes in Vicsek model

Proposed mean-field approach with density-velocity correlations

Explained discontinuity in order parameter with vectorial noise

Abstract

We consider the dynamics of the system of self propelling particles modeled via the Vicsek algorithm in continuum time limit. It is shown that the alignment process for the velocities can be subdivided into two regimes: "fast" kinetic and "slow" hydrodynamic ones. In fast kinetic regime the alignment of the particle velocity to the local neighborhood takes place with characteristic relaxation time. So that the bigger regions arise with the velocity alignment. These regions align their velocities thus giving rise to hydrodynamic regime of the dynamics. We propose the mean-field like approach in which we take into account the correlations between density and velocity. The comparison of the theoretical predictions with the numerical simulations is given. The relation between Vicsek model in the zero velocity limit and the Kuramoto model is stated. The mean-field approach accounting for the dynamic change of the neighborhood is proposed. The nature of the discontinuity of the dependence of the order parameter in case of vectorial noise revealed in Gregorie and Chaite, Phys. Rev. Lett., {\bf 92}, 025702 (2004) is discussed and the explanation of it is proposed.