Explain boundary-induced behavior in the confined disordered phase

Explain the repulsive, short-ranged wall interaction and the comparatively weak density and transverse-velocity boundary profiles observed when a Vicsek active fluid is confined in its disordered gas phase.

Background

The thesis reports preliminary simulations of a confined Vicsek system in the disordered phase. Unlike the ordered flocking phase, the confined disordered system exhibits a repulsive force between the walls, an approximately exponential approach of the pressure to its bulk value, and a much weaker boundary layer with density depletion near the walls. The authors explicitly state that they do not currently have a theoretical explanation for these observations.