Kinetic theory of topological defects in active nematics
Invited
Abstract
Active nematics are fluids of elongated active agents that exhibit self-sustained flows
and liquid crystalline order. Realizations include suspensions of cytoskeletal filaments
and motor proteins, biological tissue, and vibrated layers of granular rods. At high
activity, active nematics exhibit spatio-temporal chaotic, turbulent-like flows with
proliferation of topological defects. In this talk I will show that, focusing on the defects as
the relevant quasiparticles driving the non-equilibrium dynamics, we can formulate a
kinetic theory of the active defect gas and describe the onset of active turbulence as
activity-driven defect unbinding. By coarse-graining the kinetic theory, we obtain a
hydrodynamic description of the active defect gas.
and liquid crystalline order. Realizations include suspensions of cytoskeletal filaments
and motor proteins, biological tissue, and vibrated layers of granular rods. At high
activity, active nematics exhibit spatio-temporal chaotic, turbulent-like flows with
proliferation of topological defects. In this talk I will show that, focusing on the defects as
the relevant quasiparticles driving the non-equilibrium dynamics, we can formulate a
kinetic theory of the active defect gas and describe the onset of active turbulence as
activity-driven defect unbinding. By coarse-graining the kinetic theory, we obtain a
hydrodynamic description of the active defect gas.
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Presenters
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M Cristina Marchetti
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, University of California, University of California Santa Barbara
Authors
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M Cristina Marchetti
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Physics, University of California, University of California Santa Barbara