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Relevance of Metric-Free Interactions in Flocking Phenomena (1007.1783v2)
Published 11 Jul 2010 in cond-mat.stat-mech and cond-mat.soft
Abstract: We show that the collective properties of self-propelled particles aligning with their "topological" (Voronoi) neighbors are qualitatively different from those of usual models where metric interaction ranges are used. This relevance of metric-free interactions, shown in a minimal setting, indicate that realistic models for the cohesive motion of cells, bird flocks, and fish schools may have to incorporate them, as suggested by recent observations.