Orientation of elastic rods in homogeneous Stokes flow

Abstract

Using hydrodynamic simulation methods and scaling arguments, we consider an elastic rod which is moving in a gravitational or electric field through a quiescent fluid in the low-Reynolds-number limit. Hydrodynamic effects lead to rod bending and orientation perpendicular to the direction of motion, similar to what is seen in anomalous electric birefringence experiments on TM and FD viruses or polyelectrolytes. Static and dynamic scaling relations for the mean orientation as a function of rod length and elasticity are established.