2009/07/06 by Gwynn J. Elfring, Eric Lauga
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Asymmetry #Bacteria #Biology #Classical mechanics #Dissipation #Flagellum #Lock (firearm) #Mechanics #Micro and Nano Robotics #Microfluidic and Bio-sensing Technologies #Microorganism #Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics #Phase (matter) #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Thermodynamics #Voltage #Waveform #cond-mat.soft #physics.bio-ph #physics.flu-dyn
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.103.088101
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. (2009) 103, 088101
arxiv created 2009/07/06 · openalex publication_date 2009/08/17 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Some microorganisms, such as spermatozoa, synchronize their flagella when swimming in close proximity. Using a simplified model (two infinite, parallel, two-dimensional waving sheets), we show that phase locking arises from hydrodynamics forces alone, and has its origin in the front-back asymmetry of the geometry of their flagellar waveform. The time evolution of the phase difference between coswimming cells depends only on the nature of this geometrical asymmetry, and microorganisms can phase lock into conformations which minimize or maximize energy dissipation.