Simple model squirmers with tunable velocity

Abstract

We present a scheme of self-propelling liquid droplets which closely mimics the locomotion of some protozoal organisms, so-called squirmers. In contrast to other schemes proposed earlier, locomotion paths are not self-avoiding, since the effect of the squirmer on the surrounding medium is weak. Our results suggest that not only the velocity, but also the mode of operation (i.e., the spherical harmonics of the flow field) can be controlled by appropriate variation of parameters.