An introduction to the physics of active matter

G. De Magistris and D. Marenduzzo

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2015, vol. 418, issue C, 65-77

Abstract: In these notes we provide an introductory description of the physics of active matter, focusing on theoretical aspects, and on some methods which are often used in the field. We discuss a selection of active systems, where activity comes from different microscopic sources (mainly self-replication, self-propulsion, non-thermal forces), and in all cases we focus on their statistical physics and emergent collective behaviour, which is often linked to underlying nonequilibrium phase transitions. We hope to convey the idea that this field is a fascinating growing area of research at the interphase between statistical, soft matter and biological physics, and that active matter systems can possess, in general, a much richer physics than their passive counterparts.

Keywords: Active matter; Nonequilibrium physics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:418:y:2015:i:c:p:65-77

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2014.06.061

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