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Migration of confined micro-swimmers subject to anisotropic diffusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2024

Mingyang Guan Open the ORCID record for Mingyang Guan [Opens in a new window] ,
Weiquan Jiang Open the ORCID record for Weiquan Jiang [Opens in a new window] ,
Luoyi Tao ,
Guoqian Chen Open the ORCID record for Guoqian Chen [Opens in a new window]  and
Joseph H.W. Lee
Mingyang Guan
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Sustainability Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China
Weiquan Jiang
Affiliation:
Macao Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, PR China
Luoyi Tao
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
Guoqian Chen*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Sustainability Science, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China Macao Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, PR China
Joseph H.W. Lee*
Affiliation:
Macao Environmental Research Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao 999078, PR China
*
†Email addresses for correspondence: gqchen@pku.edu.cn, jhwlee@must.edu.mo
†Email addresses for correspondence: gqchen@pku.edu.cn, jhwlee@must.edu.mo
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Abstract

Shear-induced migration of elongated micro-swimmers exhibiting anisotropic Brownian diffusion at a population scale is investigated analytically in this work. We analyse the steady motion of confined ellipsoidal micro-swimmers subject to coupled diffusion in a general setting within a continuum homogenisation framework, as an extension of existing studies on macro-transport processes, by allowing for the direct coupling of convection and diffusion in local and global spaces. The analytical solutions are validated successfully by comparison with numerical results from Monte Carlo simulations. Subsequently, we demonstrate from the probability perspective that symmetric actuation does not yield net vertical polarisation in a horizontal flow, unless non-spherical shapes, external fields or direct coupling effects are harnessed to generate steady locomotion. Coupled diffusivities modify remarkably the drift velocity and vertical migration of motile micro-swimmers exposed to fluid shear. The interplay between stochastic swimming and preferential alignment could explain the diverse concentration and orientation distributions, including rheological formations of depletion layers, centreline focusing and surface accumulation. Results of the analytical study shed light on unravelling peculiar self-propulsion strategies and dispersion dynamics in active-matter systems, with implications for various transport problems arising from the fluctuating shape, size and other external or inter-particle interactions of swimmers in confined environments.

JFM classification

Biological Fluid Dynamics: Swimming/flying Mass Transport: Dispersion
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 985 , 25 April 2024 , A44
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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