Physics

Eigenfunction

Organic chemistry

Relaxation (psychology)

Ring (chemistry)

Mathematics

Mechanics

Shear flow

Dynamics (music)

Gaussian

Psychology

Eigenvalues and eigenvectors

Chemical physics

Acoustics

Chemistry

Geometry

Polar

Flow (mathematics)

Polar coordinate system

Nuclear magnetic resonance

Quantum mechanics

Polymer

Classical mechanics

Social psychology

Physical review. E

The conformational and dynamical properties of isolated semiflexible active polar ring polymers are investigated analytically. A ring is modeled as continuous Gaussian polymer exposed to tangential active forces. The analytical solution of the linear non-Hermitian equation of motion in terms of an eigenfunction expansion shows that ring conformations are independent of activity. In contrast, activity strongly affects the internal ring dynamics and yields characteristic time regimes, which are absent in passive rings. On intermediate time scales, flexible rings show an activity-enhanced diffusive regime, while semiflexible rings exhibit ballistic motion. Moreover, a second active time regime emerges on longer time scales, where rings display a snake-like motion, which is reminiscent to a tank-treading rotational dynamics in shear flow, dominated by the mode with the longest relaxation time.

Dynamics of active polar ring polymers