Abstract
Active oscillators, with purely hydrodynamic coupling, are useful simple models to understand various aspects of motile cilia synchronization. Motile cilia are used by microorganisms to swim and to control the flow fields in their surroundings; the patterns observed in cilia carpets can be remarkably complex, and can be changed over time by the organism. It is often not known to what extent the coupling between cilia is due to just hydrodynamic forces, and neither is it known if it is biological or physical triggers that can change the dynamical collective state. Here we treat this question from a very simplified point of view. We describe three possible mechanisms that enable a switch in the dynamical state, in a simple scenario of a chain of oscillators. We find that shape-change provides the most consistent strategy to control collective dynamics, but also imposing small changes in frequency produces some unique stable states. Demonstrating these effects in the abstract minimal model proves that these could be possible explanations for gait switching seen in ciliated micro organisms like Paramecium and others. Microorganisms with many cilia could in principle be taking advantage of hydrodynamic coupling, to switch their swimming gait through either a shape change that manifests in decreased coupling between groups of cilia, or alterations to the beat style of a small subset of the cilia.
Highlights
Active oscillators coupled through a fluid are an interesting conceptual physical model for an extensive range of systems where liquid is present, mediating interactions between motile cilia [1, 2]
An important application for physics of oscillators in fluids is in understanding the origin of swimming, a property exhibited by water borne organisms across the spectrum of sizes, from large mammals down to small invertebrates and microorganisms like bacteria and unicellular algae [3]
We show that subsets of model-cilia with specific phase locked dynamics can form, as groups of oscillators with phase-locking in opposing phase, and that these dynamical regimes can be switched using the geometry of the system, or small alterations to some of the oscillators, as control parameters
Summary
Active oscillators coupled through a fluid are an interesting conceptual physical model for an extensive range of systems where liquid is present, mediating interactions between motile cilia [1, 2]. An important application for physics of oscillators in fluids is in understanding the origin of swimming, a property exhibited by water borne organisms across the spectrum of sizes, from large mammals down to small invertebrates and microorganisms like bacteria and unicellular algae [3]. The collective behaviour of larger swimmers, like fish, is thought to be the result of some judgement process of the animal, and controlled neurologically. Geometry in model of cilia synchronization controls the dynamics, a possible connection to swimming gaits
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