Topological flocking models in spatially heterogeneous environments
Open Access
- 14 September 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Communications Physics
- Vol. 4 (1), 1-9
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-021-00708-y
Abstract
Flocking models with metric and topological interactions are supposed to exhibit distinct features, as for instance the presence and absence of moving polar bands. On the other hand, quenched disorder (spatial heterogeneities) has been shown to dramatically affect large-scale properties of active systems with metric interactions, while the impact of quenched disorder on active systems with metric-free interactions has remained, until now, unexplored. Here, we show that topological flocking models recover several features of metric ones in homogeneous media, when placed in a heterogeneous environment. In particular, we find that order is long-ranged even in the presence of spatial heterogeneities, and that the heterogeneous environment induces an effective density-order coupling facilitating emergence of traveling bands, which are observed in wide regions of parameter space. We argue that such a coupling results from a fluctuation-induced rewiring of the topological interaction network, strongly enhanced by the presence of spatial heterogeneities.Funding Information
- Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
- Ministry of Science Research and Technology
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-15-CE30-0002-01)
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (RO4766/2-1)
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Optimal Noise Maximizes Collective Motion in Heterogeneous MediaPhysical Review Letters, 2013
- Collective motionPhysics Reports, 2012
- Collective motion and density fluctuations in bacterial coloniesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2010
- Modeling collective motion: variations on the Vicsek modelZeitschrift für Physik B Condensed Matter, 2008
- Interaction ruling animal collective behavior depends on topological rather than metric distance: Evidence from a field studyProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- Hydrodynamics and phases of flocksAnnals of Physics, 2005
- Onset of Collective and Cohesive MotionPhysical Review Letters, 2004
- Active nematics on a substrate: Giant number fluctuations and long-time tailsEurophysics Letters, 2003
- Flocks, herds, and schools: A quantitative theory of flockingPhysical Review E, 1998
- Novel Type of Phase Transition in a System of Self-Driven ParticlesPhysical Review Letters, 1995