Memory as activity: pattern formation in a conserved scalar field

Abstract: We explore the concept of memory in scalar active matter systems, focusing on the collective dynamics of particles whose interactions depend on their evolutionary history rather than on their present configuration. We do so by introducing the idea of an active particle whose velocity acquires an active contribution that depends on its past trajectory suitably weighted by a memory kernel. The memory kernel is unrelated to the thermal noise acting on the particle, meaning that the particle breaks detailed balance at the microscopic level. The number density of these active particles is described by a Cahn-Hilliard equation, which typically describes passive phase separation, suitably modified to account for this particular non-equilibrium effect. Through theory and simulations we establish the novel emergent features of the model and use the example of time delayed interactions to highlight the novel pattern-forming abilities of the model.