The Viscous Nonlinear Dynamics of Twist and Writhe
Soft Condensed Matter
2009-10-31 v1 Pattern Formation and Solitons
patt-sol
Abstract
Exploiting the "natural" frame of space curves, we formulate an intrinsic dynamics of twisted elastic filaments in viscous fluids. A pair of coupled nonlinear equations describing the temporal evolution of the filament's complex curvature and twist density embodies the dynamic interplay of twist and writhe. These are used to illustrate a novel nonlinear phenomenon: ``geometric untwisting" of open filaments, whereby twisting strains relax through a transient writhing instability without performing axial rotation. This may explain certain experimentally observed motions of fibers of the bacterium B. subtilis [N.H. Mendelson, et al., J. Bacteriol. 177, 7060 (1995)].
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9802084,
title = {The Viscous Nonlinear Dynamics of Twist and Writhe},
author = {Raymond E. Goldstein and Thomas R. Powers and Chris H. Wiggins},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9802084},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
9 pages, 4 figures