#9 Synchronization of flexible obstacles in active turbulence

Active matter is a growing field of research, exploring systems that exhibit collective behavior out of equilibrium, such as suspensions of bacteria, mixtures of microtubules and kinesin, and colonies of microalgae. In this project, we will investigate the synchronization of flexible obstacles immersed in an active turbulent fluid. These obstacles, anchored to the substrate, can be computationally modeled as circles connected by elastic forces, with oscillations that depend on the spring constant.

The central question is whether these oscillations can synchronize when the characteristic timescale of the obstacle motion approaches that of the active turbulence. In addition, we will explore the emerging collective patterns and how interactions between multiple obstacles can affect the system’s dynamics. To do this, we will use numerical simulations based on the lattice-Boltzmann method, allowing for a detailed analysis of the coupling between the obstacles and the active flow.