Swinging Motion of Active Deformable Particles in Poiseuille Flow

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex dynamics of active deformable particles in Poiseuille flow, revealing distinct swinging motions and how flow strength influences their behavior, with implications for understanding active matter in fluid environments.

Contribution

The study introduces a general symmetry-based model for active deformable particles and analyzes their dynamical modes, highlighting differences from rigid active particles and detailed swinging motion behavior.

Findings

Identification of swinging motion around the centerline.

Distinction between particles self-propelling parallel and perpendicular to deformation.

Analysis of flow strength effects on particle dynamics.

Abstract

Dynamics of active deformable particles in an external Poiseuille flow is investigated. In order to make the analysis general, we employ time-evolution equations derived from symmetry considerations that take into account an elliptical shape deformation. First, we clarify the relation of our model to that of rigid active particles. Then, we study the dynamical modes that active deformable particles exhibit by changing the strength of the external flow. We emphasize the difference between the active particles that tend to self-propel parallel to the elliptical shape deformation and those self-propelling perpendicularly. In particular, a swinging motion around the centerline far from the channel walls is discussed in detail.