Jorge Arrieta
Instituto Mediterráneo de Estdios Avanzados (IMEDEA)
Light control of flows in microalgae suspensions
Phototaxis is an important reaction to light displayed by a wide range of motile microorganisms. Flagellated eukaryotic microalgae in particular, like the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, steer either towards or away from light by a rapid and precisely timed modulation of their flagellar activity. Results of the long time timescale phototactic motility of Chlamydomonas at single and population level will be presented. This phototactic response can be exploited to precisely control the timing and position of localised cell photoaccumulation, leading to the controlled development of isolated bioconvective plumes. This form of photobioconvection allows a precise, fast, and reconfigurable control of the spatiotemporal dynamics of the instability and the ensuing global recirculation, which can be activated and stopped in real time.
