Optimal Swimming at low Reynolds numbers
arXiv:math-ph/0404044 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.186001
Abstract
Efficient swimming at low Reynolds numbers is a major concern of microbots. To compare the efficiencies of different swimmers we introduce the notion of ``swimming drag coefficient'' which allows for the ranking of swimmers. We find the optimal swimmer within a certain class of two dimensional swimmers using conformal mappings techniques.
10 pages, 3 figures and one movie. Minor revisions and improved figures