Clustering of self-propelled particles

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Many experimental realizations of <a href="/facts/Self-propelled_particles/FnGhgpYl">self-propelled particles</a> exhibit a strong tendency to <a href="/facts/Aggregation_(ethology)/vT4fpmQd">aggregate</a> and form clusters, whose dynamics are much richer than those of passive colloids. These aggregates of particles form for a variety of reasons, from chemical gradients to magnetic and ultrasonic fields. Self-propelled enzyme motors and synthetic <a href="/facts/Nanomotor/Me7BKBNo">nanomotors</a> also exhibit clustering effects in the form of chemotaxis. <a href="/facts/Chemotaxis/hYPRdPTk">Chemotaxis</a> is a form of <a href="/facts/Collective_motion/BSdEymqV">collective motion</a> of biological or non-biological particles toward a fuel source or away from a threat, as observed experimentally in enzyme diffusion and also synthetic chemotaxis or phototaxis. In addition to irreversible schooling, <a href="/facts/Self-propelled_particles/FnGhgpYl">self-propelled particles</a> also display reversible collective motion, such as predator–prey behavior and oscillatory clustering and dispersion.
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Clustering of self-propelled particles open-in-new

Clustering of self-propelled particles