Issue 47, 2021

Flow transitions and length scales of a channel-confined active nematic

Abstract

We perform lattice Boltzmann simulations of an active nematic fluid confined in a two-dimensional channel to study the range of flow states that are stabilised by the confinement: unidirectional flow, oscillatory flow, the dancing state, localised active turbulence and fully-developed active turbulence. We analyse the flows in Fourier space, and measure a range of different length scales which describe the flows. We argue that the different states occur as a result of flow instabilities inherent to the system. As a consequence the characteristic length scale for oscillatory flow, the dancing state and localised active turbulence is set by the channel width. Fully-developed active turbulence occurs only when the channel width is larger than the intrinsic, active length scale of the bulk fluid. The results clarify why the activity number is a control parameter for the flow transitions.

Graphical abstract: Flow transitions and length scales of a channel-confined active nematic

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Oct 2021
Accepted
10 Nov 2021
First published
17 Nov 2021

Soft Matter, 2021,17, 10640-10648

Flow transitions and length scales of a channel-confined active nematic

A. Samui, J. M. Yeomans and S. P. Thampi, Soft Matter, 2021, 17, 10640 DOI: 10.1039/D1SM01434J

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