Topological flocking models in spatially heterogeneous environments

Abstract

While the presence of spatial heterogeneities is known to affect emergent collective behavior in traditional active systems with metric interactions, its role in active systems with nonmetric interactions is still unclear. Here, the authors study the effect of quenched disorder in active matter with topological interactions, finding that topological interactions preserve long-range order in the presence of spatial heterogeneity, which also enhances the emergence of traveling bands.