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Hydrodynamic Synchronization and Metachronal Waves on the Surface of the Colonial Alga Volvox carteri

Douglas R. Brumley, Marco Polin, Timothy J. Pedley, and Raymond E. Goldstein
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 268102 – Published 27 December 2012
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Abstract

From unicellular ciliates to the respiratory epithelium, carpets of cilia display metachronal waves, long-wavelength phase modulations of the beating cycles, which theory suggests may arise from hydrodynamic coupling. Experiments have been limited by a lack of organisms suitable for systematic study of flagella and the flows they create. Using time-resolved particle image velocimetry, we report the discovery of metachronal waves on the surface of the colonial alga Volvox carteri, whose large size and ease of visualization make it an ideal model organism for these studies. An elastohydrodynamic model of weakly coupled compliant oscillators, recast as interacting phase oscillators, reveals that orbit compliance can produce fast, robust synchronization in a manner essentially independent of boundary conditions, and offers an intuitive understanding of a possible mechanism leading to the emergence of metachronal waves.

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  • Received 5 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.268102

This article is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Paddling in Sync

Published 27 December 2012

Flagella on the surface of a multicellular alga can beat in an unexpectedly synchronized fashion.

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Authors & Affiliations

Douglas R. Brumley, Marco Polin, Timothy J. Pedley, and Raymond E. Goldstein

  • Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, United Kingdom

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 26 — 28 December 2012

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