Imperfect bifurcation in the rotation of a propeller-shaped camphor rotor

TL;DR

This study explores how shape asymmetry causes imperfect bifurcations in the rotational motion of a camphor rotor on water, combining experimental observations and numerical simulations.

Contribution

It reveals the impact of shape asymmetry on bifurcation behavior in self-propelled rotors, highlighting conditions for imperfect bifurcation occurrence.

Findings

Asymmetry leads to different angular velocities in clockwise and counterclockwise rotations.

Numerical simulations identify conditions for imperfect bifurcation.

Chiral asymmetry influences bifurcation structure in self-propelled motion.

Abstract

We investigated the bifurcation structure on the self-propelled motion of a camphor rotor at a water surface. The center of the camphor rotor was fixed by the axis, and it showed rotational motion around it. Due to the chiral asymmetry of its shape, the absolute values of the angular velocities in clockwise and counterclockwise directions were different. This asymmetry in the angular velocities implies an imperfect bifurcation. From the numerical simulation results, we discuss the condition for the occurrence of the imperfect bifurcation.