Glassy dynamics of athermal self-propelled particles: Computer simulations and a nonequilibrium microscopic theory

TL;DR

This study combines simulations and a microscopic theory to explore how self-propulsion affects the glassy behavior of dense athermal particles, revealing complex dynamics influenced by persistence time.

Contribution

It introduces a nonequilibrium mode-coupling-like theory for self-propelled particles, linking structure and velocity correlations to glassy dynamics.

Findings

Increased persistence time enhances local structure.

Long-time dynamics initially accelerates then slows down.

Theory qualitatively agrees with simulation results.

Abstract

We combine computer simulations and analytical theory to investigate the glassy dynamics in dense assemblies of athermal particles evolving under the sole influence of self-propulsion. The simulations reveal that when the persistence time of the self-propelled particles is increased, the local structure becomes more pronounced whereas the long-time dynamics first accelerates and then slows down. These seemingly contradictory evolutions are explained by constructing a nonequilibrium mode-coupling-like theory for interacting self-propelled particles. To predict the collective dynamics the theory needs the steady state structure factor and the steady state correlations of the local velocities. It yields nontrivial predictions for the glassy dynamics of self-propelled particles in qualitative agreement with the simulations.