Significance of flocking-transition differences for dense active glasses

Ascertain whether the difference between a continuous flocking transition in the Vicsek model and a discrete (discontinuous) transition reported for self-propelled hard discs by Lam, Schindler, and Dauchot has significant implications in the dense regime relevant to active glass formation, where the glassy state avoids flocking.

Background

Active systems often display effective alignment interactions, with the Vicsek model exhibiting a continuous flocking transition, whereas alternative models show different transition orders.

Because glass formation in dense regimes can avoid flocking, it is necessary to assess whether these differences in ordering transitions impact glassy dynamics at high densities.