# Flocking of Active Particles in a Turbulent Flow

## TL;DR

This study explores how cooperative interactions among microorganisms, modeled as self-propelled particles, lead to flocking behavior in three-dimensional turbulent flows, with implications for understanding natural and artificial microswimmer dynamics.

## Contribution

It extends previous two-dimensional flocking models to three-dimensional turbulent environments, highlighting the importance of flow-particle correlations for flocking.

## Key findings

- Flocking emerges from cooperative interactions in turbulent flows.
- Flow-particle correlations are crucial for flocking in 3D turbulence.
- Results have implications for artificial microswimmer design.

## Abstract

We investigate the effect of cooperative interactions in an ensemble of microorganisms, modelled as self-propelled disk-like and rod-like particles, in a three-dimensional turbulent flow to show flocking as an emergent phenomenon. Building on the work by Choudhary, et al. [Europhys. Lett. 112, 24005 (2015)] for two-dimensional systems, and combining ideas from active matter and turbulent transport, we show that non-trivial correlations between the flow and individual dynamics are essential for the microorganisms to flock in, for example, a turbulent three-dimensional, marine environment. Our results may have implications especially in the modelling of artificial microswimmers in a hostile environment.