Base flow decomposition for complex moving objects in linear hydrodynamics: Application to helix-shaped flagellated microswimmers

The motion of microswimmers in complex flows is ruled by the interplay between swimmer propulsion and dynamics induced fluid velocity field. Here we study a chiral microswimmer whose provided spinning helical tail with respect to its body simple shear flow. Thanks an efficient computational strategy that allowed us simulate thousands different trajectories, show shape dramatically affects swimmer's motion. In dominated regime, swimmers carrying elliptical several Jeffery-like (tumbling) trajectories depending on their initial configuration. As torque increases, progressive regularization observed until, converge same final trajectory independently Overall, our results helix presents much richer variety usually studied circular tails.