Project Details
Projekt
Understanding the collective behavior of microswimmers within microscopic statistical theory.
Subject Area
Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
Theoretical Chemistry: Molecules, Materials, Surfaces
Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
Theoretical Chemistry: Molecules, Materials, Surfaces
Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
Term
from 2014 to 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 253407666
To theoretically understand the collective behavior in many-body microswimmer suspensions, statistical approaches are mandatory. We have recently derived one such description including all basic ingredients, i.e. self-propulsion, hydrodynamic and steric interactions, as well as interactions with an external potential, in the form of a dynamical density functional theory. A first comparison with previous agent-based computer simulations has confirmed its validity. Variants and extensions of the theory shall now be derived and applied to describe different systems and phenomena: elongated microswimmers and their collective orientational properties; circle swimmers and gravitactic behavior; kinetic phase separation driven by self-propulsion; mixtures of active and passive swimmers; as well as the influence of imposed flow fields. Comparison with agent-based computer simulations and experiments performed by other groups in the project shall further improve the approach so that it can finally describe real experimental situations.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
