Nicholas Brubaker (California State University, Fullerton)
Active particles have a distinct anterior side that defines a spatial orientation and generates intrinsic self-propulsion velocity. When the particles are confined in a thermally fluctuating environment, the resulting persistent motion can produce regions of accumulation in the vicinity of the bounding perimeter. This behavior makes their activity readily apparent. However, in certain contexts, the aggregation is absent, and the dynamics produce an equilibrium distribution that is smoothed throughout the restricting space, similar to the dispersal of passive particles in the same setting. We explore this dichotomy between clumping and spreading by studying a prototypical model for active particles—namely Active Brownian particles—in different ambient conditions. To do this, we analyze the structure of solutions to the stationary Fokker–Planck equation of the full joint distribution.
Contact : W. Ahmed