Topological Travelling Waves of a Macroscopic Swarmalator Model in Confined Geometries

Abstract

We investigate a new class of topological travelling-wave solutions for a macroscopic swarmalator model involving force non-reciprocity. Swarmalators are systems of self-propelled particles endowed with a phase variable. The particles are subject to coupled swarming and synchronization. In previous work, the swarmalator under study was introduced, the macroscopic model was derived and doubly periodic travelling-wave solutions were exhibited. Here, we focus on the macroscopic model and investigate new classes of two-dimensional travelling-wave solutions. These solutions are confined in a strip or in an annulus. In the case of the strip, they are periodic along the strip direction. Both of them have non-trivial topology as their phases increase by a multiple of \(2 \pi \) from one period (in the case of the strip) or one revolution (in the case of the annulus) to the next. Existence and qualitative behavior of these solutions are investigated.