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Twist-induced crossover from two-dimensional to three-dimensional turbulence in active nematics

Tyler N. Shendruk, Kristian Thijssen, Julia M. Yeomans, and Amin Doostmohammadi
Phys. Rev. E 98, 010601(R) – Published 13 July 2018
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Abstract

While studies of active nematics in two dimensions have shed light on various aspects of the flow regimes and topology of active matter, three-dimensional properties of topological defects and chaotic flows remain unexplored. By confining a film of active nematics between two parallel plates, we use continuum simulations and analytical arguments to demonstrate that the crossover from quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) to three-dimensional (3D) chaotic flows is controlled by the morphology of the disclination lines. For small plate separations, the active nematic behaves as a quasi-2D material, with straight topological disclination lines spanning the height of the channel and exhibiting effectively 2D active turbulence. Upon increasing channel height, we find a crossover to 3D chaotic flows due to the contortion of disclinations above a critical activity. Above this critical activity highly contorted disclination lines and disclination loops are formed. We further show that these contortions are engendered by twist perturbations producing a sharp change in the curvature of disclinations.

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  • Received 1 March 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.98.010601

©2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Fluid DynamicsStatistical Physics & ThermodynamicsNonlinear DynamicsPhysics of Living Systems

Authors & Affiliations

Tyler N. Shendruk1,†, Kristian Thijssen2,†, Julia M. Yeomans2, and Amin Doostmohammadi2,‡

  • 1The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10021, USA
  • 2Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom

  • *tshendruk@rockefeller.edu
  • These authors contributed equally.
  • amin.doostmohammadi@physics.ox.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 98, Iss. 1 — July 2018

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