Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Active Fluids and Microswimmers (joint session DY/BP/CPP)

BP 7.5: Talk

Monday, March 18, 2024, 16:15–16:30, BH-N 243

Hydrodynamic synchronization of elastic cilia: How flow confinement and boundary conditions determine the characteristics of metachronal waves — Albert von Kenne, •Markus Bär, and Thomas Niedermayer — Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin, Germany

We model hydrodynamically interacting cilia by a coupled phase oscillator description by reducing the dynamics of hydrodynamically interacting elastic cilia to the slow time scale of synchronization [1]. In this framework, we determine analytical metachronal wave solutions as well as their stability and perform simulations in a periodic chain setting. The flow confinement at the wall stabilizes metachronal waves with long wavelengths propagating in the direction of the power stroke and, moreover, metachronal waves with short wave lengths propagating perpendicularly to the power stroke. In open chains of phase oscillators, the dynamics of metachronal waves is fundamentally different. Here, the elasticity of the model cilia controls the wave direction and selects a particular wave number: At large elasticity, waves traveling in the direction of the power stroke are stable, whereas at smaller elasticity waves in the opposite direction are stable. In addition, coexistence of waves traveling in opposite directions and irregular, chaotic dynamics are observed. [1] A. von Kenne, M. Bär and T. Niedermayer. Preprint, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.10.20.563276v1.full.pdf.