Periodic arrays of gyrotactic plumes in bioconvection

Ghorai, S. and Hill, N.A. (2000) Periodic arrays of gyrotactic plumes in bioconvection. Physics of Fluids, 12(1), pp. 5-22. (doi: 10.1063/1.870249)

Abstract

Using the continuum model of Pedley et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 195, 223 (1988)] for bioconvection in a suspension of swimming, gyrotactic micro-organisms, the existence and stability of periodic arrays of two-dimensional plumes in deep chambers are investigated. The system is governed by the Navier–Stokes equations for an incompressible fluid coupled with a micro-organism conservation equation. These equations are solved numerically using a conservative finite-difference scheme. In sufficiently deep chambers, the plumes are sometimes unstable to varicose or meandering modes. A linear stability analysis for an infinitely deep plume predicts the growth rates of these instabilities and agrees well with the numerical results.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hill, Professor Nicholas
• Authors: Ghorai, S., and Hill, N.A.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Mathematics
• Journal Name: Physics of Fluids
• Journal Abbr.: Phys. fluids
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics
• ISSN: 1070-6631
• ISSN (Online): 1089-7666