Enhanced diffusion by reciprocal swimming

Details Enhanced diffusion by reciprocal swimming Enhanced diffusion by reciprocal swimming

2011-03-31

arxiv.org/abs/1104.0047v1

Phys. Rev. Lett. (2011) 106, 178101

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.178101

Purcell's scallop theorem states that swimmers deforming their shapes in a time-reversible manner ("reciprocal" motion) cannot swim. Using numerical simulations and theoretical calculations we show here that in a fluctuating environment, reciprocal swimmers undergo, on time scales larger than that of their rotational diffusion, diffusive dynamics with enhanced diffusivities, possibly by orders of magnitude, above normal translational diffusion. Reciprocal actuation does therefore lead to a significant advantage over non-motile behavior for small organisms such as marine bacteria.

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