The effect of self-induced Marangoni flow on polar-nematic waves in active-matter systems

We study the formation of propagating large-scale density waves of mixed polar-nematic symmetry in a colony of self-propelled agents that are bound to move along the planar surface of a thin viscous film. The agents act as an insoluble surfactant, i.e. the surface tension of the liquid depends on their density. Therefore, density gradients generate a Marangoni flow. We demonstrate that for active matter in the form of self-propelled surfactants with local (nematic) aligning interactions such a Marangoni flow nontrivially influences the propagation of the density waves. Upon gradually increasing the Marangoni parameter, which characterises the relative strength of the Marangoni flow as compared to the self-propulsion speed, the density waves broaden while their speed may either increase or decrease depending on wavelength and overall mean density. A further increase in the Marangoni parameter eventually results in the disappearance of the density waves. This may occur either discontinuously at finite wave amplitude via a saddle-node bifurcation or continuously with vanishing wave amplitude at a wave bifurcation, i.e. a finite-wavelength Hopf bifurcation. Graphic Abstract