Giant vortex dynamics in confined bacterial turbulence

We report the numerical evidence of a new state of bacterial turbulence in confined domains. By means of extensive numerical simulations of the Toner-Tu-Swift-Hohenberg model for dense bacterial suspensions in circular geometry, we discover the formation a stable, ordered state in which the angular momentum symmetry is broken. This is achieved by self-organization of a turbulent-like flow into a single, giant vortex of the size of the domain. The giant vortex is surrounded by an annular region close to the boundary, characterized by small-scale, radial vorticity streaks. The average radial velocity profile of the vortex is found to be in agreement with a simple analytical prediction. We also provide an estimate of the temporal and spatial scales of a suitable experimental setup comparable with our numerical findings.

Automated summary

This study presents numerical evidence of a new state of bacterial turbulence in confined domains. The researchers discovered the formation of a stable, ordered state in which the angular momentum symmetry is broken, achieved by self-organization of a turbulent-like flow into a single, giant vortex. The study also provides estimates for the temporal and spatial scales of a suitable experimental setup comparable with the numerical findings.