Title: Dynamics of Lumbriculus variegatus in a square confinement

Author (Snapshot): Sohum Kapadia, Clark University

Abstract:

We study the dynamics of an aquatic worm - Lumbriculus variegatus, confined in a quasi-2D square chamber. We employ image processing to track the worm’s head, centroid and tail coordinates to analyze its dynamics. We observe the worm moves along the boundary while gradually aligning with it, owing to its steric interaction. The worm spends more time at the corners than the edges, following which, it escapes the corner due to its undulatory motion. We analyze this trapping using body orientation angle distribution and trapping times. We also model the worm as an undulating active polymer in a rigid square boundary.