Surfing Turbulence: a strategy for plankton navigation
ORAL
Abstract
We explain how microswimmers, such as planktonic organisms, can use a local measure of velocity
gradients of the flow to navigate efficiently in complex 3D flows. Following the observation that
despite its chaotic properties turbulence present exploitable correlation times, we derive an analytic
strategy, solution of a local optimum, that we test in simulated 3D homogeneous isotropic turbulence.
Given a fixed target direction, this strategy allows microswimmers to surf the surrounding flow and
increase their velocity along this direction, up to 100% in best cases. Best results are obtained for
low swimming velocities (of the order of the Kolmogorov velocity) that are in agreement with
various biological plankton species swimming velocities.
gradients of the flow to navigate efficiently in complex 3D flows. Following the observation that
despite its chaotic properties turbulence present exploitable correlation times, we derive an analytic
strategy, solution of a local optimum, that we test in simulated 3D homogeneous isotropic turbulence.
Given a fixed target direction, this strategy allows microswimmers to surf the surrounding flow and
increase their velocity along this direction, up to 100% in best cases. Best results are obtained for
low swimming velocities (of the order of the Kolmogorov velocity) that are in agreement with
various biological plankton species swimming velocities.
*This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 834238). C.E. has been partially funded by a Fulbright Research Scholarship. Results use data from the Johns Hopkins Turbulence Database
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Presenters
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Rémi MONTHILLER
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, IRPHE, Marseille, France