Capillary surfers: Wave-driven particles at a vibrating fluid interface
Ian Ho, Giuseppe Pucci, Anand U. Oza, and Daniel M. Harris
Phys. Rev. Fluids 8, L112001 – Published 7 November 2023
See synopsis: Synchronized Surfing of Self-Propelled Particles
We present an experimental study of capillary surfers, a new fluid-mediated active system that bridges the gap between dissipation- and inertia-dominated regimes. Surfers are wave-driven particles that self-propel and interact on a fluid interface via an extended field of surface waves. A surfer's speed and interaction with its environment can be tuned broadly through the particle, fluid, and vibration parameters. The wave nature of interactions among surfers allows for multistability of interaction modes and promises a number of novel collective behaviors.