title: Dynamics of defects in an active nematic layer.
abstract: Defect dynamics in a thin active nematic layer is studied by asymptotic matching of solutions in the defect core and the far field. The analysis is facilitated by the correspondence between the two-dimensional nematic and complex scalar field models. Self-propulsion and topological interactions are identified as the primary drivers of the defect motion, surpassing the influence of both passive backflow and active flow induced by other defects.
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Minerva Center for Nonlinear Physics of Complex Systems, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Pismen
mesh_terms: D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008962:Models, Theoretical