Enhanced diffusion by reciprocal swimming
Soft Condensed Matter
2011-08-30 v1 Biological Physics
Fluid Dynamics
Abstract
Purcell's scallop theorem states that swimmers deforming their shapes in a time-reversible manner ("reciprocal" motion) cannot swim. Using numerical simulations and theoretical calculations we show here that in a fluctuating environment, reciprocal swimmers undergo, on time scales larger than that of their rotational diffusion, diffusive dynamics with enhanced diffusivities, possibly by orders of magnitude, above normal translational diffusion. Reciprocal actuation does therefore lead to a significant advantage over non-motile behavior for small organisms such as marine bacteria.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1104.0047,
title = {Enhanced diffusion by reciprocal swimming},
author = {Eric Lauga},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1104.0047},
year = {2011}
}