Metachronal Coordination of Multiple Appendages for Swimming and Pumping

Abstract

As a strategy for creating fluid flow, metachronal motion is widespread across sizes and species, including a broad array of morphologies, length scales, and coordination patterns. Because of this great diversity, it has not generally been viewed holistically: the study of metachrony for swimming and pumping has historically been taxonomically siloed, in spite of many commonalities between seemingly disparate organisms. The goal of the present symposium was to bring together individuals from different backgrounds, all of whom have made substantial individual contributions to our understanding of the fluid dynamics of metachronal motion. Because these problems share a common physical-mathematical basis, intentionally connecting this community is likely to yield future collaborations and significant scientific discovery. Here, we briefly introduce the concept of metachronal motion, present the benefits of creating a research network based on the common aspects of metachrony across biological systems, and outline the contributions to the symposium.

Metachronal coordination enables omnidirectional swimming via spatially distributed propulsion

“…Metachronal coordination of appendages is seen in many aquatic organisms spanning a wide range of sizes and body plans, including shrimp, krill, polychaetes, and even aquatic insects [1,2].…”

Omnidirectional propulsion in a metachronal swimmer

“…Metachronal coordination of appendages is seen in many aquatic organisms spanning a wide range of sizes and body plans, including shrimp, krill, polychaetes, and even aquatic insects [ 1 , 2 ]. Organisms sequentially actuate a row of appendages (pleopods, ctenes, legs, parapodia, cilia, et al ) to generate fluid flow via drag-based paddling; hydrodynamic interactions between the paddles can improve overall efficiency and flow speed [ 3 ].…”