Three-sphere low-Reynolds-number swimmer with a cargo container.
A recently introduced model for an autonomous swimmer at low Reynolds number that is comprised of three spheres connected by two arms is considered when one of the spheres has a large radius. The Stokes hydrodynamic flow associated with the swimming strokes and net motion of this system can be studied analytically using the Stokes Green's function of a point force in front of a sphere of arbitrary radius R provided by Oseen. The swimming velocity is calculated, and shown to scale as 1/R3 with the radius of the sphere.
Golestanian
R
R
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, Sheffield, UK. r.golestanian@sheffield.ac.uk
D000465:Algorithms; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005542:Forearm / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins