Related papers: The Optimal Swimming Sheet
Spermatozoa flagella are known to synchronize when swimming in close proximity. We use a model consisting of two-dimensional sheets propagating transverse waves of displacement to demonstrate that fluid forces lead to such synchronization…
Microscale propulsion is integral to numerous biomedical systems, for example biofilm formation and human reproduction, where the surrounding fluids comprise suspensions of polymers. These polymers endow the fluid with non-Newtonian…
Flagella are hair-like appendages attached to microorganisms that allow the organisms to traverse their fluid environment. The algae Volvox are spherical swimmers with thousands of individual flagella on their surface and their coordination…
In this paper we address the question of the optimal design for the Purcell 3-link swim-mer. More precisely we investigate the best link length ratio which maximizes its displace-ment. The dynamics of the swimmer is expressed as an ODE,…
We propose a minimal model of microswimmer based on immersed boundary methods. We describe a swimmer (either pusher or puller) as a distribution of point forces, representing the swimmer's flagellum and body, with only the latter subjected…
Classically, anisotropic surface wave tomography is treated as an optimisation problem where it proceeds through a linearised two-step approach. It involves the construction of 2D group or phase velocity maps for each considered period,…
Cells swimming in confined environments are attracted by surfaces. We measure the steady-state distribution of smooth-swimming bacteria (Escherichia coli) between two glass plates. In agreement with earlier studies, we find a strong…
The ability of streamwise-travelling waves of spanwise velocity to reduce the turbulent skin friction drag is assessed in the compressible regime. Direct numerical simulations are carried out to compare drag reduction in subsonic, transonic…
Diffusion in complex heterogeneous media such as biological tissues or porous materials typically involves constrained displacements in tortuous structures and {\em sticky} environments. Therefore, diffusing particles experience both…
The problem of optimal microscopic swimming in a noisy environment is analyzed. A simplified model in which propulsion is generated by the relative motion of three spheres connected by immaterial links has been considered. We show that an…
Scaling laws for the propulsive performance of rigid foils undergoing oscillatory heaving and pitching motions are presented. Water tunnel experiments on a nominally two-dimensional flow validate the scaling laws, with the scaled data for…
In this work we address the "smoking ring" propulsion technique, originally proposed by E. M. Purcell. We first consider self-locomotion of a doughnut-shaped swimmer powered by surface tank-treading. Different modes of surface motion are…
Flagella beating in complex fluids are significantly influenced by viscoelastic stresses. Relevant examples include the ciliary transport of respiratory airway mucus and the motion of spermatozoa in the mucus-filled female reproductive…
Waves in excitable media can be treated by a simple geometric theory. The propagation velocity is assumed known and evolution of wave fronts is determined by elementary physical principles (Fermat's principle, Huygens' principle). Based on…
Fish schools are capable of simultaneous linear acceleration. To reveal the underlying hydrodynamic mechanism, we numerically investigate how Reynolds number $ Re = 1000 - 2000 $, Strouhal number $ St = 0.2 - 0.7 $ and wavelength $ \lambda…
We employ three numerical methods to explore the motion of low Reynolds number swimmers, modeling the hydrodynamic interactions by means of the Oseen tensor approximation, lattice Boltzmann simulations and multiparticle collision dynamics.…
The hydrodynamic interactions among bacterial cell bodies, flagella, and surrounding boundaries are essential for understanding bacterial motility in complex environments. In this study, we demonstrate that each slender flagellum can be…
We study a simple model of periodic contraction and extension of large intruders in a granular bed to understand the mechanism for swimming in an otherwise solid media. Using an event-driven simulation, we find optimal conditions that…
To evaluate the swimming performances of aquatic animals, an important dimensionless quantity is the Strouhal number, St = fA/U, with f the tail-beat frequency, A the peak-to-peak tail amplitude, and U the swimming velocity. Experiments…
Active swimmers are ubiquitous in nature, found in many diverse biological systems ranging from bacteria to vertebrate fish. Of particular importance are sperm cells which are swimmers that are crucial for the survival of many species…