Collective motion in large deviations of active particles

ORAL

Abstract

We analyse collective motion that occurs during rare (large deviation) events in systems of active particles. We discuss the associated dynamical phase transition to collective motion, which occurs when the work of non-conservative active forces is biased towards larger values. We show numerically for 2D active Brownian particles that a finite biasing field is needed to induce spontaneous symmetry breaking, even in large systems, and analyse this symmetry breaking by an optimal-control representation of the biased dynamics.

*This work was funded in part by the European Research Council under the EU’s Horizon 2020 Programme, grant number 740269. Etienne Fodor acknowledges support from an Oppenheimer Research Fellowship from the University of Cambridge, and a Junior Research Fellowship from St Catharine’s College. Michael E. Cates is funded by the Royal Society.

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Presenters

  • Yann-Edwin Keta

    • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge

Authors

  • Yann-Edwin Keta

    • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge

  • Etienne Fodor

    • University of Luxembourg
    • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge

  • Frederic van Wijland

    • Université de Paris
    • Université Paris Diderot

  • Michael Cates

    • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
    • University of Edinburgh

  • Robert L. Jack

    • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge