Evidence of fluctuation-induced first-order phase transition in active matter

Abstract: We study the properties of the Malthusian Toner-Tu theory in its near ordering phase. Because of the birth/death process, characteristic of this Malthusian model, density fluctuations are partially suppressed. We study this model using the perturbative renormalization group. At one loop we find that the renormalization group flow drives the system in an unstable region, suggesting a fluctuation-induced first-order phase transition.