Who: Dr. Harold Auradou, head of the FAST laboratory at Université Paris-Saclay and CNRS researcher
When: Wednesday, 14 May between 13:00 and 14:00 CET (Norway time).
Where: zoom here Https://uio.zoom.us/j/65837085049?pwd=WjZianUyN3FJa2liQkxBbzQrOCtGdz09
Title: Bacterial Suspension Flow in Porous Media
Summary: Bacteria are equipped with flagella, which enable them to move within their fluid environment. Physicists view these biological entities as active particles. This presentation will explore the swimming behavior of bacteria in a flow and its impact on dispersion within a porous medium. Our experimental, numerical, and theoretical findings reveal the existence of an “active filtration regime,” which enhances the retention of bacteria within the porous structure. When the density of bacteria reaches a significant level, hydrodynamic interactions among them lead to collective behaviors. These collective effects result in a reduction of the fluid’s viscosity. We will discuss how this effect influences the hydrodynamic dispersion of dense bacterial suspensions in porous media. Finally, we will open the discussion to the potential roles of aerotaxis and chemotaxis in bacterial movement through porous environments