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  5. Mixing by Swimming Algae

Mixing by Swimming Algae

File(s)
MPEG-2.mp4 (27.44 MB)
High Quality Video
MPEG-1.mp4 (6.85 MB)
Low Quality Video
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/13741
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Fluid Dynamics Videos
Author
Guasto, Jeffrey S.
Leptos, Kyriacos C.
Gollub, J.P.
Pesci, Adriana I.
Goldstein, Raymond E.
Abstract

In this fluid dynamics video, we demonstrate the microscale mixing enhancement of passive tracer particles in suspensions of swimming microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. These biflagellated, single-celled eukaryotes (10 micron diameter) swim with a "breaststroke" pulling motion of their flagella at speeds of about 100 microns/s and exhibit heterogeneous trajectory shapes. Fluorescent tracer particles (2 micron diameter) allowed us to statistically quantify the enhanced mixing caused by the swimmers, which is relevant to suspension feeding and biogenic mixing. Without swimmers present, tracer particles diffuse slowly due solely to Brownian motion. As the swimmer concentration is increased, the probability density functions (PDFs) of tracer displacements develop strong exponential tails, and the Gaussian core broadens. High-speed imaging (500 Hz) of tracer-swimmer interactions demonstrates the importance of flagellar beating in creating oscillatory flows that exceed Brownian motion out to about 5 cell radii from the swimmers. Finally, we also show evidence of possible cooperative motion and synchronization between swimming algal cells.

Sponsorship
NSF DMR-0803153, Leverhulme Trust, BBSRC, Schlumberger Chair Fund
Date Issued
2009-10-06T17:39:32Z
Keywords
swimming microorganism
•
Chlamydomonas
•
mixing
•
enahnced diffusion
•
synchronization
Type
video/moving image

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