Transition from periodic to non-periodic oscillation observed in a mathematical model of bioconvection by motile micro-organisms (Q1072473)

Bioconvection observed in a culture of motile micro-organisms was analyzed numerically. The governing equations are the Navier-Stokes equations with the Boussinesq approximation and a diffusion equation for the motile micro-organism. A transition from a static condition to periodic oscillation was observed according to the increase of the Rayleigh number. It was found that the system of bioconvection can lead into chaotic conditions via a single-frequency oscillatory behavior of a sequence of period-doubling bifurcations by increasing the Rayleigh number, which is analogous to Bénard convection.