Beating to rotational transition of a clamped active ribbon-like filament

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to analyze how a clamped, active, ribbon-like filament exhibits beating and rotational motions under compression, with motion types influenced by torsional rigidity.

Contribution

It reveals the dynamic behaviors of active filaments under compression, highlighting the role of torsional rigidity and providing a phase diagram of motion regimes.

Findings

Filament exhibits beating and rotational motions under compression.

Oscillation frequency is nearly independent of torsional rigidity.

Different motions produce characteristic trajectories like butterfly and circular.

Abstract

We present a detailed study of a clamped ribbon-like filament under a compressive active force using Brownian dynamics simulations. We show that a clamped ribbon-like filament is able to capture beating as well as a rotational motion under the compressive force. The nature of oscillation is governed by the torsional rigidity of the filament. The frequency of oscillation is almost independent of the torsional rigidity. The beating of the filament gives butterfly shape trajectory of the free-end monomer, whereas rotational motion yields a circular trajectory on a plane. The binormal correlation and the principal component analysis reveal the butterfly, elliptical, and circular trajectories of the free end monomer. We present a phase diagram for different kinds of motion in the parameter regime of compressive force and torsional rigidity.