Scale-invariant correlations in dynamic bacterial clusters

In Bacillus subtilis colonies, motile bacteria move collectively, spontaneously forming dynamic clusters. These bacterial clusters share similarities with other systems exhibiting polarized collective motion, such as bird flocks or fish schools. Here we study experimentally how velocity and orientation fluctuations within clusters are spatially correlated. For a range of cell density and cluster size, the correlation length is shown to be 30% of the spatial size of clusters, and the correlation functions collapse onto a master curve after rescaling the separation with correlation length. Our results demonstrate that correlations of velocity and orientation fluctuations are scale invariant in dynamic bacterial clusters.     

Collectivity of plasmon excitations in small sodium clusters with planar structure

The collectivity of the electronic motion in small sodium clusters with planar structure is studied by the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The formation and development of collective resonances in the absorption spectra were obtained as the function of the size and shape of the plane. We find the symmetry plays an important role in the collective excitation. Resonance peaks increase with the reduction of the symmetries and, on the contrary, resonance peaks decrease with the increase of the symmetries. In the planar cluster, there are two main excitation modes: the higher-energy mode and the competitive mode, which is due to the coupling and competition of the quasi-lower-energy effect and the quasi-higher-energy effect. With the increase of the interatomic distance, peaks of the absorption spectra are all red-shifted and the evolutionary trend is also discussed.     

Collective motion and nonequilibrium cluster formation in colonies of gliding bacteria

We characterize cell motion in experiments and show that the transition to collective motion in colonies of gliding bacterial cells confined to a monolayer appears through the organization of cells into larger moving clusters. Collective motion by nonequilibrium cluster formation is detected for a critical cell packing fraction around 17%. This transition is characterized by a scale-free power-law cluster-size distribution, with an exponent 0.88±0.07, and the appearance of giant number fluctuations. Our findings are in quantitative agreement with simulations of self-propelled rods. This suggests that the interplay of self-propulsion and the rod shape of bacteria is sufficient to induce collective motion.     

非晶纳米Ni500团簇等温晶化过程中的结构与动力学研究

采用分子动力学方法和镶嵌原子势, 模拟了500个Ni原子(简称Ni₅₀₀)组成的纳米团簇的等温晶化过程. 通过对纳米Ni团簇的动力学行为和微观结构演变的研究, 发现Ni₅₀₀在高温时是一步晶化的, 在低温时则呈现出多步晶化的特征. 在多步晶化的过程中, 团簇结构会陷入多个亚稳态结构, 经过原子重排, 进入能量更低的亚稳态, 最后完成晶化. 在多步晶化过程中, 原子的位置重排是通过协同跳跃运动实现的, 其协同运动方式不但有常见的线型协同运动, 也有多个原子的集体平移运动等其他形式. 关键词： 分子动力学模拟 纳米Ni团簇 协同运动     

Entropy measures of cellular aggregation

In this paper a measure is proposed of the rate with which the collective motion of cells leads to aggregation and structure formation. It will be shown that the spatial entropy of the cells tends to decrease during aggregation and an index will be derived to quantify the rate with which this process takes place. Finally, applications will be presented to experiments on cellular migration and aggregation.     

Nondiffusion atomic ordering in the low-temperature deposition of copper

A new mechanism of atomic ordering in the low-temperature homoepitaxial deposition of copper onto a close-packed (111) plane has been discovered by means of molecular-dynamics simulation. This nondiffusion mechanism is caused by the collective motion of clusters along the dislocation lines of partial Shockley dislocations. We predict the existence of dislocation-induced coalescence, which is an increase in the mean size of face-centered cubic (fcc) clusters owing to a decrease in the number of hexagonal close-packed (hcp) clusters due to the motion of surface dislocations.     

Colloidal assembly on magnetically vibrated stripes

We investigate the collective organization of paramagnetic colloidal particles externally driven above the periodic stripes of a uniaxial ferrimagnetic garnet film. An external field modulation induces vibration of the stripe walls and produces random motion of the particles. Defects in the stripe pattern break the symmetry of the potential and favor particle nucleation into large clusters above a critical density. Mismatch between particle size and pattern wavelength generates assemblies with different morphological order. At even higher field strengths, repulsive dipolar interactions between the particles induce cluster melting. We propose a novel approach to generate and externally control a variety of colloidal assemblies.     

Cooperative acceleration of task performance: Foraging behavior of interacting multi-robots system

We study the effectiveness of cooperative behavior in a society of interacting agents. After reviewing the problem and defining the concept of swarm intelligence, we examine collective behavior of many-body active clusters through a task to gather pucks in the field. In this study, we used a robot with a simple structure which has a driving system and the simplest interacting means; a light and some sensors. The effectiveness of group behavior was studied under various (homogeneous, localized) puck distributions with real experiment, simulation, and analysis. To evaluate the efficiency of group behavior, we examined the scaling relation between the task completion time and the number of robots, and the relation between the interaction period and the efficiency of group. We found that a cooperation between agents by a simple interaction is very efficient in enhancing the performance of the group compared with independent individuals.     

Application of a fusion model using collective variables and microscopically related mass parameters

A calculation of nucleus-nucleus collisions is presented, using a model which starts from a TDHF equation and leads to classical equations of motion for a set of four collective variables. Restricting to axial symmetry and assuming the liquid drop mass formula to hold, a differential equation is derived, which describes nuclear deformations and energies and is used to construct a potential energy surface for the collective variables. The nuclear deformations are obtained without the need of shape parameters. The equations of motion for the collective variables are solved numerically.     

Discontinuous and continuous transitions of collective behaviors in living systems

Living systems are full of astonishing diversity and complexity of life. Despite differences in the length scales and cognitive abilities of these systems, collective motion of large groups of individuals can emerge. It is of great importance to seek for the fundamental principles of collective motion, such as phase transitions and their natures. Via an eigen microstate approach, we have found a discontinuous transition of density and a continuous transition of velocity in the Vicsek models of collective motion, which are identified by the finite-size scaling form of order-parameter. At strong noise, living systems behave like gas. With the decrease of noise, the interactions between the particles of a living system become stronger and make them come closer. The living system experiences then a discontinuous gas-liquid like transition of density. The even stronger interactions at smaller noise make the velocity directions of the particles become ordered and there is a continuous phase transition of collective motion in addition.     

The rotation-reptation transition under broken rotational symmetry

In a swirled circular container, granular particles can change their sense of rotation when the packing density is increased, exhibiting a transition from rotational to reptational motion. In addition, here we report a ‘snake mode’ that arises at a lower packing density, where particles form a chain like cluster that rotates with the same frequency as the container. We investigate experimentally transitions between these three modes under the influence of geometrical distortions which break the rotational symmetry of the container. The driving mechanism for the rotational motion of the clusters is also discussed.     

Nonvanishing optimal noise in cellular automaton model of self-propelled particles

A minimal cellular automaton model is introduced to describe the collective motion of self-propelled particles on two-dimensional square lattice. The model features discretization of directional and positional spaces and single-particle occupation on one lattice site. Contrary to the Vicsek model and its variants, our model exhibits the nonvanishing optimal noise. When the particle density increases, the collective motion is promoted with optimal noise strength and reduced with noise strength out of optimal region. In addition, when the square lattice undergoes edge percolation process, no abrupt change of alignment behaviors is observed at the critical point of percolation.     

Hard X-ray emission by clusters in an intense femtosecond laser field during collective recombination

We consider the new mechanism of X-ray generation by clusters under irradiation by femtosecond laser pulses, the so-called collective photorecombination. We develop the theory of the photo-recombination of electrons that pass from atomic clusters at the outer ionization to the ground level of a homogeneously charged cluster. Such a cluster is considered to be a quantum potential well. The dipole approximation is inapplicable for this process. We conclude that X-ray photons in collective photorecombination on a charged cluster as a whole have an energy that is much larger than that for photorecombination on separate atomic ions inside the cluster. For a typical cluster of 2.25 × 10⁶ electrons, with a radius R = 300 Å, and a number density of plasma electrons n _e = 2 × 10²² cm^?3, we find that at a 5% outer ionization of this cluster, the energy of hard X-ray photons is 7.2 keV.     

Quantum corrections to the semiclassical Hartree-Fock theory of a harmonically trapped Bose gas

An analytical approach is proposed to investigate the mechanism of implantation of size selected clusters into graphite, in order to explain the origin of linear variation of measured penetration depth with momentum or energy of incident cluster. In agreement with experimental observations, the cluster experiences, during its penetration, a force which consists in a component proportional with cluster velocity and a constant component. Expressions of these forces were obtained in the frame work of this approach. Regardless of whether the cluster breaks down into single atoms on the surface or not, there is evidence for existence of a wave generated under impact of cluster on the surface. Under the assumption that the cluster does not break up at impact on the surface, the penetration depth depends on the cross-section between the cluster and the surface, the cluster velocity and the properties of graphite. When the cluster fragments upon the impact on the surface, the generated wave is followed by a collective motion (??collective cascade??) of displaced atoms of target, including the constituents of cluster themselves, due to the transfer of cluster momentum. Thus, it is these displaced atoms which penetrate in the medium. During this collective penetration, some constituents of cluster can reach a certain depth which may be considered as the range of the deepest implanted constituents of cluster. It is shown that, the depth of penetration depends on the initial radius of cluster, its velocity and the properties of graphite. In addition, the depth varies non linearly with cluster velocity, for small clusters (n ?? 7), while for large clusters (n ?? 13), it varies (i) linearly with cluster velocity (or momentum) when the force proportional with speed of cluster is dominant. (ii) Linearly with the square of cluster velocity (or energy) if the constant force becomes dominant. It is shown that, a mechanism based on a collective motion of displaced atoms including the constituents of cluster themselves, induced by transfer of cluster momentum to the medium, permits to explain the behavior of measured depth of implanted clusters into graphite. This collective motion involves only one free parameter for all clusters of the same nature which are used as projectiles in the same experiment.     

理想条件下氡及其子体运移新理论及其运移方程

论述了氡及其子体运移的新理论,认为氡及其子体在垂直方向的运移机理是氡及其子体经α 衰变所放出的α粒子减速后，将成为He核，He核可与氡及其子体形成团簇，当团簇在介质中 所受的浮力大于其重量时，团簇便能自行向上运移，否则团簇就向下运移.在此理论基础上 建立了氡运移理论分布方程，并对运移方程进行了验证. 关键词： 团簇 氡运移 运移方程