preprints.org > computer science and mathematics > applied mathematics > doi: 10.20944/preprints202312.0680.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 8 December 2023 / Approved: 11 December 2023 / Online: 11 December 2023 (09:31:21 CET)

Metachrony is defined as coordinated asynchronous movement throughout multiple appendages, such as the cilia of cells and swimmerets of crustaceans. We investigate the process of metachronal propulsion, notably used by species of crustaceans and microscopic cells to move through fluid. A rigid crustacean model with paddles moving in symmetric strokes was created to simulate metachronal movement. Coupled with the surrounding fluid domain, we employ the immersed boundary method to analyze fluid-structure interactions. To explore the effect of nonlinear morphology on the efficiency of metachronal propulsion, we generate and simulate a range of crustacean body shapes, from upward curves to downwards curves. We found that the highest propulsion velocity is achieved when the crustacean model morphology follows a downwards curve, specifically a parabola of leading coefficient k=−0.4. This curved morphology results in 4.5% higher velocity compared to the linear model. As k deviates from −0.4, the propulsion velocity decreases with increasing magnitude, forming a concave downward trend. The impact of body shape on propulsion velocity is shown by how the optimal velocity with k=−0.4 is 71.5% larger than the velocity at k=1. Overall, this study suggests that morphology has a significant impact on metachronal propulsion.

metachronal; crustacean; fluid mechanics; bio-inspired propulsion; immersed boundary method; morphology

Computer Science and Mathematics, Applied Mathematics

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