Hierarchical self-organization in signaling polar active matter

Self-organization in active matter plays an important role for various biological and artificial systems. In numerous cases, signaling is a key mechanism for the formation and localization of critical structures, such as the fruiting body in Dictyostelium discoideum or aggregation clusters in quorum-sensing bacteria. Despite its importance, the specific role of the signaling and its interplay with self-propulsion remains largely unexplored.

We propose a model for signaling active matter that endows self-propelled polar agents with information processing and signal relaying capabilities. The self-sustained nonlinear signaling contributes significantly to the ability of these systems to form complex structures such as self-assembled active droplets, streams, bands, and rings. Furthermore, localized vortices with persistent spiral wave signaling activity organize the aggregation process of the system through a hierarchy of different collective dynamic states.