Seminar: Dr. Daphne Klotsa, UNC-CH Applied Physical Sciences

UNC Marine Sciences’ Professor Alberto Scotti hosts a seminar presented by Daphne Klotsa, Ph.D.

Seminar Title: Collective behavior of particles and swimmers in fluids at intermediate Reynolds numbers

Presenter Affiliation: Department of Applied Physical Sciences, UNC-CH

Abstract: Rigid spherical particles in oscillating fluid flows form interesting patterns as a result of fluid mediated interactions. Here, through both experiments and simulations, we show that two spheres under horizontal vibration align themselves at right angles to the oscillation and sit with a gap between them, which scales in a non-classical way with the boundary layer thickness. A large number of spherical particles form strings perpendicular to the direction of oscillation. Inspired by biological organisms, we then design a simple swimmer that utilizes nonlinearities in the fluid in order to propel itself. We discuss what happens to both artificial and biological systems at the boundary between low and intermediate Reynolds number and how collective behavior may affect motility, feeding mechanisms, and other functions.