Cohesive motion in one-dimensional flocking

TL;DR

This paper introduces a one-dimensional flocking model combining velocity alignment and long-range interactions, revealing unique cohesive behaviors and stochastic directional switching in collective motion.

Contribution

It presents a novel one-dimensional flocking model that integrates velocity alignment with long-range centering, highlighting new collective behaviors and stochastic phenomena.

Findings

Largest cluster develops a mean velocity slower than the preferred one.

System exhibits stochastic directional switching at high noise levels.

Different sources of stochasticity influence collective motion behaviors.

Abstract

A one-dimensional rule-based model for flocking, that combines velocity alignment and long-range centering interactions, is presented and studied. The induced cohesion in the collective motion of the self-propelled agents leads to a unique group behaviour that contrasts with previous studies. Our results show that the largest cluster of particles, in the condensed states, develops a mean velocity slower than the preferred one in the absence of noise. For strong noise, the system also develops a non-vanishing mean velocity, alternating its direction of motion stochastically. This allows us to address the directional switching phenomenon. The effects of different sources of stochasticity on the system are also discussed.