Multi-defect Dynamics in Active Nematics

Understand

Recent experiments and numerical studies have drawn attention to the dynamics of active nematics.

• Two-dimensional active nematics flow spontaneously and exhibit spatiotemporal chaotic flows with proliferation of topological defects in the nematic texture.
• It has been proposed that the dynamics of active nematics can be understood in terms of the dynamics of interacting defects, propelled by active stress.
• Previous work has derived effective equations of motion for individual defects as quasi-particles moving in the mean field generated by other defects, but an effective theory governing multi-defect dynamics has remained out of reach.