Properties of a semi-dilute suspension of swimming micro-organisms

Takuji Ishikawa, Takami Yamaguchi, T. J. Pedley

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

In this paper, we review our recent researches on a suspension of swimming micro-organisms. Firstly, interactions between two swimming micro-organisms are discussed. We introduce our experimental works using Paramecium caudatum, and numerical works using a squirmer model. The results show that changes in direction between two swimming cells are induced mainly by hydrodynamic forces and that biological interaction is a minor factor. Secondly, the rheological and diffusive properties of a semi-dilute suspension of squirmers are discussed. We introduce our numerical works and show that a suspension of bottom-heavy squirmers has strong non-Newtonian properties. We also show that the spreading of squirmers is correctly described as a diffusive process after a sufficiently long time, even though all the movements of the squirmers are deterministically calculated.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBio-Mechanisms of Swimming and Flying
Subtitle of host publicationFluid Dynamics, Biomimetic Robots, and Sports Science
PublisherSpringer Tokyo
Pages17-28
Number of pages12
ISBN (Print)9784431733799
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008
Event3rd International Symposium on Aero Aqua Bio-Mechanisms, ISABMEC 2006 - Okinawa, Japan
Duration: 2006 Jul 32006 Jul 7

Publication series

NameBio-Mechanisms of Swimming and Flying: Fluid Dynamics, Biomimetic Robots, and Sports Science

Conference

Conference3rd International Symposium on Aero Aqua Bio-Mechanisms, ISABMEC 2006
Country/TerritoryJapan
CityOkinawa
Period06/7/306/7/7

Keywords

  • Diffusivity
  • Hydrodynamic Interaction
  • Micro-organism
  • Stokesian dynamics
  • Suspension
  • Viscosity

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