Hydroelastic scattering and trapping of microswimmers

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sagnik Garai - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Ursy Makanga - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Akhil Varma - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (Author)
  • Christina Kurzthaler - , Max-Planck-Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD), TUD Dresden University of Technology, Clusters of Excellence PoL: Physics of Life (Author)

Abstract

Deformable boundaries are omnipresent in the habitats of swimming microorganisms, leading to intricate hydroelastic couplings. Employing a perturbation theory, valid for small deformations, we study the swimming dynamics of pushers and pullers near instantaneously deforming boundaries, endowed with a bending rigidity and surface tension. Our results reveal that pushers can either reorient away from the boundary, leading to overall hydroelastic scattering, or become trapped by the boundary, akin to the enhanced trapping found for pullers. These findings demonstrate that the complex hydroelastic interactions can generate behaviors that are in striking contrast to swimming near planar walls.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL042005
JournalPhysical Review Research
Volume7
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas