Swimming of Microorganisms Viewed from String and Membrane Theories

TL;DR

This paper models microorganism swimming as string and membrane dynamics in low Reynolds number fluid, analyzing flagellated motion and conserved quantities, and proposing collective motion studies via string amplitudes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel string and membrane theoretical framework for microorganism swimming, linking fluid dynamics with extended object theories.

Findings

Analysis of flagellated motion in 2D fluid using Joukowski transformation

Discussion of conserved charges related to area-preserving diffeomorphisms

Proposal of N-point string/membrane amplitudes for collective swimming studies

Abstract

Swimming of microorganisms is studied from a viewpoint of extended objects (strings and membranes) swimming in the incompressible f luid of low Reynolds number. The flagellated motion is analyzed in two dimensional fluid, by using the method developed in the ciliated motion with the Joukowski transformation. Discussion is given on the conserved charges and the algebra which are associated with the area (volume)- preserving diffeomorphisms giving the swimming motion of microorganisms. It is also suggested that the $N$-point string- and membrane-like amplitudes are useful for studying the collective swimming motion of microorganisms when fluctuation of the vorticity distribution exists in the sticky or rubber-like fluid.