Optimization of flagellar swimming by a model sperm
Fluid Dynamics
2015-05-06 v2 Soft Condensed Matter
Abstract
The swimming of a bead-spring chain in a viscous incompressible fluid as a model of a sperm is studied in the framework of low Reynolds number hydrodynamics. The optimal mode in the class of planar flagellar strokes of small amplitude is determined on the basis of a generalized eigenvalue problem involving two matrices which can be evaluated from the mobility matrix of the set of spheres constituting the chain. For an elastic chain with a cargo constraint for its spherical head, the actuating forces yielding a nearly optimal stroke can be determined. These can be used in a Stokesian dynamics simulation of large amplitude swimming.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1412.3937,
title = {Optimization of flagellar swimming by a model sperm},
author = {B. U. Felderhof},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1412.3937},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
15 pages, 14 figures