Drag forces on inclusions in classical fields with dissipative dynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates how inclusions moving through dynamical fields experience nonlinear drag forces, influenced by field dynamics, with implications for soft matter systems like membranes and Ising models.

Contribution

It provides a general framework for understanding nonlinear drag forces on inclusions in dissipative fields, applicable to biological membranes and condensed matter systems.

Findings

Drag forces are nonlinear functions of velocity.

Field dynamics significantly influence drag force behavior.

Predictions include drag forces on membrane proteins due to physical couplings.

Abstract

We study the drag force on uniformly moving inclusions which interact linearly with dynamical free field theories commonly used to study soft condensed matter systems. Drag forces are shown to be nonlinear functions of the inclusion velocity and depend strongly on the field dynamics. The general results obtained can be used to explain drag forces in Ising systems and also predict the existence of drag forces on proteins in membranes due to couplings to various physical parameters of the membrane such as composition, phase and height fluctuations.