Confinement and Collective Escape of Active Particles
Igor S. Aranson, Arkady Pikovsky
Abstract
Active matter broadly covers the dynamics of self-propelled particles. While the onset of collective behavior in homogenous active systems is relatively well understood, the effect of inhomogeneities such as obstacles and traps lacks overall clarity. Here, we study how interacting, self-propelled particles become trapped and released from a trap. We have found that captured particles aggregate into an orbiting condensate with a crystalline structure. As more particles are added, the trapped condensates escape as a whole. Our results shed light on the effects of confinement and quenched disorder in active matter.
Topics & Concepts
Active matterPhysicsCondensed matter physicsDynamics (music)TrappingChemical physicsCollective motionAggregate (composite)Particle (ecology)Collective behaviorAtomic physicsCurrent (fluid)Molecular physicsBose–Einstein condensateMicro and Nano RoboticsDistributed Control Multi-Agent SystemsModular Robots and Swarm Intelligence