Soft Matter and Complex Systems Seminar

Jellyfish gastrovascular system consists of channels through which seawater flows carrying nutrients and oxygen (similar to the circulatory system in our bodies). As the jellyfish grows, new channels grow from the outer rim of its umbrella and develop towards the stomach. These channels form a quasi two-dimensional network, the dynamics of which are our main focus. Usually, modeling of spatial network dynamics includes elongation of branches, their splitting (to create ramified network) and events of reconnection between branches (creating closed loops in network). The latter interests us the most as there is still a lack of a simple physical model leading to reconnections.