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Choose an explicit orientation convention, since the supplied PDF does not display the referenced diagram. Let ${\mathbf{e}}_z$ point upward and ${\mathbf{e}}_2$ complete a right-handed frame with the horizontal flow direction ${\mathbf{e}}_1$. Usewhere $\mathbf{i}$ points from the head towards the tail. A tail point has position $\mathbf{r}=(a+s)\mathbf{i}$. Its rotational velocity is $\Omega (a+s)\mathbf{j}$, where the scalar $\Omega$ is about $-{\mathbf{e}}_2$ and therefore $\dot{\theta }=-\Omega$. Keeping that sign is essential for stability.

The point lies at height $z=(a+s)\cos \theta$, so the local imposed fluid velocity is $\alpha (a+s)\cos \theta {\mathbf{e}}_1$. Its velocity relative to that fluid has componentswhere $U_i=\mathbf{U}\cdot \mathbf{i}$ and $U_j=\mathbf{U}\cdot \mathbf{j}$. These follow by projection; rigid rotation has no tangential component.

Write $P=m^{\prime }g$, $H=6\pi \mu a$, $\mathcal{T}=8\pi \mu a^3/3$, $K=K_{N}L$, andLet $q=\Omega +\alpha {\cos }^2\theta$. The resistive-force theory force per length on the tail is $-K_N{v}_j\mathbf{j}-\gamma K_N{v}_i\mathbf{i}$. Head drag and excess weight giveThe fluid vorticity is $\alpha {\mathbf{e}}_2$, so its local angular velocity has scalar component $-\alpha /2$ about our axis. Sphere rotation resistance therefore contributes $-\mathcal{T}(\Omega +\alpha /2)$. Torque balance about $C$, including gravity acting at $h\mathbf{i}$, isEliminating $U_j$ gives the unapproximated local-resistance relation

Now retain head and tail translation resistance at the same order, as intended by $\sigma =O(L/a)$, but use $a/L\ll 1$ in the lever-arm integrals. Thus $I_1\simeq L^2/2$, $I_2\simeq L^3/3$. Sphere rotation resistance is smaller than tail rotation resistance by order $(a/L{)}^2$, so omit $\mathcal{T}$ at fixed scaled shear. Also neglect $h$ relative to the tail's hydrodynamic force-centre distance $K_N{I}_1/(H+K)=O(L)$. Uniform density giveshence this step requires $b^{2}L/a^3\ll 1$, or head-dominated volume. It is consistent with the distinguished logarithmic ordering, but $b\ll a\ll L$ by itself would not ensure it. The model further neglects hydrodynamic interaction between head and tail, and uses low-Reynolds-number local drag.

Under these approximations,soBecause $\dot{\theta }=-\Omega$, its equilibria satisfy $\alpha (1-{\sin }^2\theta )=2\beta \sin \theta$. Definewith $s_{\ast }=0$ at zero shear. The two orientations modulo $2\pi$ are ${\theta }_s=\arcsin s_{\ast }$ and ${\theta }_u=\pi -{\theta }_s$. The derivative of $\dot{\theta }=\alpha {\cos }^2\theta -2\beta \sin \theta$ at an equilibrium isThe second factor is positive, so the branch $\cos {\theta }_s>0$ is stable and the other is unstable. On the stable branch the tail tip is above $C$: the head is lower than the far tail end.

The corresponding leading translation velocities areThe second formula uses $q=2\beta \sin \theta$ in the normal force balance. In the equilibrium orientation $\alpha {\cos }^2\theta =2\beta \sin \theta$, and $U_z=U_i\cos \theta +U_j\sin \theta$ simplifies toThis is shear-dependent settling of a sphere-and-tail body. Since $0<\gamma <1$ for a slender filament, $s_{\ast }^2$ increases with the magnitude of shear and the signed upward-coordinate velocity $U_z$ increases towards zero. Equivalently, increasing shear decreases the downward sedimentation speed. The formula remains negative throughout this leading model. If $\gamma =1$ there is no shear dependence; reversing the drag anisotropy would reverse the trend. At very large shear, the omitted sphere rotation term proportional to $\mathcal{T}\alpha$ can become important, so the approximation is not uniform in arbitrarily large $\alpha$.