A geometric framework for curvature-dependent collective behavior of polar active agents on curved surfaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces a geometric framework to model how curvature influences collective behavior of polar active agents on curved surfaces, revealing curvature-dependent phase transitions and localization phenomena.

Contribution

It presents a minimal, curvature-aware model for active agents on curved surfaces, highlighting how surface geometry affects collective states and transitions.

Findings

Disordered to ordered transition occurs on spheres and spheroids.

Transition point shifts with increasing deviation from sphericity.

Swarming localizes to an equatorial belt on non-spherical surfaces.

Abstract

In biological systems, active agents such as actomyosin and cells move and interact on curved surfaces, exhibiting diverse phenomena. These observations have motivated studies of how curvature shapes their collective behavior. Here, using a geometric framework, a minimal model is presented for interacting active agents on curved surfaces with Vicsek-like polar alignment. A transition between disordered and ordered states occurs on spheres as well as on oblate and prolate spheroids. As the deviation from sphericity increases, the transition point shifts to higher alignment strengths, and swarming localizes to an equatorial belt away from the poles, indicating that curvature heterogeneity influences the emergence of the polar-ordered state.