Clutter Noise Induced Phase Segregation in Binary Active Polar Flocks

Pradeep Kumar Yadav; Ignacio Pagonabarraga

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arXiv · 2610.30008

Clutter Noise Induced Phase Segregation in Binary Active Polar Flocks

Pradeep Kumar Yadav·Ignacio Pagonabarraga

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Abstract

Macroscopic phase segregation in binary active mixtures can emerge solely from clutter noise: local, composition-dependent stochasticity, without repulsion or anti-alignment torques. Using an agent-based Vicsek model, we show that clutter noise alone destabilizes the mixed state, producing multi-stripe, co-moving band, and metastable counter-propagating morphologies, as well as a stable phase-segregated polar fluid. Our hydrodynamic theory shows that clutter noise suppresses local polar order and transport efficiency, consistent with the demixing observed in the agent-based model.

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Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Ignacio Pagonabarraga. 2026-10-21. Clutter Noise Induced Phase Segregation in Binary Active Polar Flocks. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.30008

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