Diffusion In A Model For Active Brownian Motion

SIBONA, GUSTAVO JAVIER; CONDAT, CARLOS ALBERTO

PHYSICA D - NONLINEAR PHENOMENA

Año: 2002 vol. 168- p. 235 - 243

0167-2789

Due to their small mass, microorganisms whose sizes are of the order of the microns, such as marine bacteria, are con-tinuously buffeted by Brownian forces, which can substantially affect their motion. Here we extend the analysis of a model recently introduced to describe the dynamics of a microorganism moving under the combined influences of its own propulsion system and of Brownian forces. In the high dissipation regime, the nature of the motion is determined by a synergy between these two contributions. Although the motion can be extremely directional over short time scales, it is always diffusive when observed over long times.