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Dynamics of sedimenting active Brownian particles

The European Physical Journal E volume 42, Article number: 11 (2019) Cite this article

Abstract.

We investigate the stochastic dynamics of one sedimenting active Brownian particle in three dimensions under the influence of gravity and passive fluctuations in the translational and rotational motion. We present an analytical solution of the Fokker-Planck equation for the stochastic process which allows us to describe the dynamics of one active Brownian particle in three dimensions. We address the time evolution of the density, the polarization, and the steady-state solution. We also perform Brownian dynamics simulations and study the effect of the activity of the particles on their collective motion. These results qualitatively agree with our model. Finally, we compare our results with experiments (J. Palacci et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 088304 (2010)) and find very good agreement.

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Acknowledgments

Open Access funding provided by Max Planck Society.

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Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Jérémy Vachier & Marco G. Mazza

  2. Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK

    Marco G. Mazza

Authors
  1. Jérémy Vachier
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  2. Marco G. Mazza
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Correspondence to Marco G. Mazza.

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Vachier, J., Mazza, M.G. Dynamics of sedimenting active Brownian particles. Eur. Phys. J. E 42, 11 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2019-11770-6

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Keywords

  • Flowing matter: Nonlinear Physics and Mesoscale Modeling