Oscillatory Mechanical Perturbations in Active Fluids: Probing Dynamic Properties and Resonant Behavior

Active fluids can be created from reconstituted biological molecules which convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. These self-propelled fluids have garnered significant interest from the scientific community, due to the collective behavior of their constituents and dynamics that resemble ideal mixing patterns. Studying these systems allows us to gain further understanding into their dynamic properties and how we can design a deterministic system. The objective of this research is to introduce mechanical oscillations to the active fluid and observe the resulting behavior. We designed a device compatible with two different piezoelectric actuators. With this device, our goal is to oscillate the system at various frequencies while utilizing fluorescence microscopy to observe the system. By subjecting the active fluid to mechanical perturbations, we aim to probe how the systems responds and whether a resonant frequency can be determined. The results of this research will contribute to our fundamental understanding of active fluids and their response to mechanical perturbations. Additionally, the methods developed in this experiment have the potential to be applied in future microfluidic systems.