Heterogeneous bacterial swarms with mixed lengths

Abstract

Heterogeneous systems of active matter exhibit a range of complex emergent dynamical patterns. In particular, it is difficult to predict the properties of the mixed system based on its constituents. These considerations are particularly significant for understanding realistic bacterial swarms, which typically develop heterogeneities even when grown from a single cell. Here, mixed swarms of cells with different aspect ratios are studied both experimentally and in simulations. In contrast with previous theory, there is no macroscopic phase segregation. However, locally, long cells act as nucleation cites, around which ordered clusters of short, rapidly moving cells can form, resulting in enhanced swarming speeds. On the other hand, high fractions of long cells form a bottle-neck for efficient swarming. Our results suggest a new physical advantage for the spontaneous heterogeneity of bacterial swarm populations.

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• Emergent complex phases in a discrete flocking model with reciprocal and non-reciprocal interactions
• Polar swimmers induce several phases in active nematics
• Physical characteristics of mixed-species swarming colonies
• Stability of flocking in the reciprocal two-species Vicsek model: Effects of relative population, motility, and noise
• From Flocking to Condensation: Collective Dynamics in Binary Chiral Active Matter
• Intrinsic statistical separation of subpopulations in heterogeneous collective motion via dimensionality reduction
• A Likelihood Approach for Inference of Population Heterogeneity in Particle Ensembles with Second-Order Langevin Dynamics