# Boundary induced convection in a collection of polar self-propelled particles

## TL;DR

This study investigates how boundary conditions influence convection patterns in a confined system of polar self-propelled particles, revealing the formation of rolls akin to Rayleigh-Benard convection.

## Contribution

It introduces a hydrodynamic model for polar self-propelled particles with specific boundary conditions, showing how density inhomogeneities and convection rolls emerge.

## Key findings

- Density inhomogeneities increase with self-propulsion speed.
- Convection rolls form similar to Rayleigh-Benard convection.
- Density remains homogeneous at zero self-propulsion speed.

## Abstract

We study a collection of polar self-propelled particles confined to a long two-dimensional channel. We write the coupled hydrodynamic equations of motion for density and polarisation order parameter. At two confined boundaries, density is fixed to the mean and orientation is anti-parallel with fixed magnitude of polarisation. Such boundary conditions make our system similar to a sheared suspension of self-propelled particles, which has many practical applications. Antiparallel alignment at the two confined boundaries and alignment inside the channel create rolls of orientation along the long axis of the channel. For zero self-propulsion speed, density and orientation fields are decoupled and density remains homogeneous inside the channel. For finite self-propelled speed, density inhomogeneities develop and these rolls move along the long axis of the channel. Density inhomogeneity increases sharply with increasing the self propulsion speed and then reaches a maximum and again decreases for very large speeds. Formation of rolls is very similar to the classic problem of Rayleigh-Benard convection in fluid dynamics.