Robust Edge Flows in Swarming Bacterial Colonies

Abstract

Understanding if and how the chirality of biomolecules is transferred across scales into larger components and active processes remains elusive. For instance, flagellated bacteria swim in helical trajectories but chirality seems absent from the active turbulence dynamics they display in dense suspensions. We address this question by examining multiscale dynamics in Paenibacillus vortex colonies. We find active turbulence without manifest chirality in the bulk, but wide, clockwise (viewed from the air side) circulation all along the tortuous centimeter-scale external boundary, while similar but counterclockwise flows follow internal boundaries. We trace the origin of these robust edge flows to an unexpected asymmetry at the individual level that is amplified by local interactions. We rationalize our findings with a model of noisy self-propelled particles immersed in a Stokes fluid that accounts faithfully for our observations. Our modeling and experimental efforts reveal that local nematic alignment and hydrodynamic interactions amplify the weak chiral bias in individual motion, promoting the formation of strong edge flows. The likely topological protection of these flows provides robust transport mechanism over large scales. Such robust boundary phenomena in weakly chiral active fluids may inspire new control strategies for active and biological matter.