Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 32: 377-390
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10640-1

Regular Article

Drag forces on inclusions in classical fields with dissipative dynamics

Laboratoire de Physique Théorique, IRSAMC, Université de Toulouse UPS and CNRS, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 4, France

^* e-mail: dean@irsamc.ups-tlse.fr

Received: 1 April 2010
Accepted: 12 July 2010
Published online: 29 August 2010

Abstract

We study the drag force on uniformly moving inclusions which interact linearly with dynamical free field theories commonly used to study soft condensed matter systems. Drag forces are shown to be nonlinear functions of the inclusion velocity and depend strongly on the field dynamics. The general results obtained can be used to explain drag forces in Ising systems and also predict the existence of drag forces on proteins in membranes due to couplings to various physical parameters of the membrane such as composition, phase and height fluctuations.