Swarming of Self-Propelled Camphor Boats

TL;DR

This paper investigates the collective swarming behavior of self-propelled camphor boats in a one-dimensional channel, combining experimental observations with a simple theoretical model to understand clustering mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model that reproduces clustering behavior and proposes a quantification method for experimental analysis.

Findings

Clustering occurs under specific conditions in the model.

Simulation results match experimental clustering behaviors.

A new method for quantifying swarming is proposed.

Abstract

When an ensemble of self-propelled camphor boats move in a one-dimensional channel, they exhibit a variety of collective behaviors. Under certain conditions, the boats tend to cluster together and move in a relatively tight formation. This type of behavior, referred to as clustering or swarming here, is one of three types recently observed in experiment. Similar clustering behavior is also reproduced in simulations based on a simple theoretical model. Here we examine this model to determine the clustering mechanism and the conditions under which clustering occurs. We also propose a method of quantifying the behavior that may be used in future experimental work.