Collective self-optimization of communicating active particles

Abstract

The quest for how to collectively self-organize in order to maximize the survival chances of the members of a social group requires finding an optimal compromise between maximizing the well-being of an individual and that of the group. Here we develop a minimal model describing active individuals which consume or produce, and respond to a shared resource—such as the oxygen concentration for aerotactic bacteria or the temperature field for penguins—while urging for an optimal resource value. Notably, this model can be approximated by an attraction–repulsion model, but, in general, it features many-body interactions. While the former prevents some individuals from closely approaching the optimal value of the shared “resource field,” the collective many-body interactions induce aperiodic patterns, allowing the group to collectively self-optimize. Arguably, the proposed optimal field–based collective interactions represent a generic concept at the interface of active matter physics, collective behavior, and microbiological chemotaxis. This concept might serve as a useful ingredient to optimize ensembles of synthetic active agents or to help unveil aspects of the communication rules which certain social groups use to maximize their survival chances.

Role of rotational inertia for collective phenomena in active matter

“…Physical or biological systems of active particles [1][2][3][4] are not only common at the microscopic but also at the macroscopic scale. 5 Typical examples in the animal world are birds, 6 showing flocking, 7 fish, displaying schooling, 8 as well as penguins 9 or flying beetles, 10 giving rise to a broad range of fascinating collective phenomena. In addition, inanimate objects such as walking droplets 11 or flying whirling fruits 12 represent other examples of macroscopic self-propelled particles.…”

Role of rotational inertia for collective phenomena in active matter

“…Physical or biological systems of active particles [1][2][3][4] are not only common at the microscopic but also at the macroscopic scales [5]. Typical examples in the animal world are birds [6], showing flocking [7], fish, displaying schooling [8], as well as penguins [9] or flying beetles [10], giving rise to a broad range of fascinating collective phenomena. In addition, inanimate objects such as walking droplets [11] or flying whirling fruits [12] represent other examples of macroscopic self-propelled particles.…”

Collective dynamics and shattering of disturbed two-dimensional Lennard-Jones crystals

“…Understanding dynamical response of crystalline systems to external disturbance is a common scientific question arising in crystal stability [1][2][3], piezoelectric effect [4,5], crystal melting [6][7][8][9], dynamic selfassembly [10][11][12][13], and various non-equilibrium phenomena [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Especially, the disruption of twodimensional crystals under thermal agitation (melting) has been intensively studied in the past decades [6,[23][24][25][26][27][28], and continuum elasticity theory (KTHNY theory) based on dissociation of topological defects has been developed to explain two-dimensional crystal melting [6,7,[29][30][31][32].…”