Using the Force Landscape of an Active Solid to Predict Plastic Deformation
Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 188301 – Published 26 October, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/25j4-xjnn
Abstract
Nonactive disordered solids feature quasilocalized excitations that control plasticity, similar to crystal lattice defects, identified via harmonic or anharmonic analyses of the potential energy landscape. We extend this idea to active matter, focusing on dense packings of self-propelled rods. We generalize the definition of nonlinear excitations to force landscapes that incorporate nonconservative forces. We find that force-derived excitations—which estimate directions to nearby saddles in the force landscape—robustly predict future plastic events, enabling control of active solids.
