17 May 2012, 6:30pm
Patterned Segregation: Order out of Complexity, Professor Tom Mullin (University of Manchester)
Abstract
Segregation of mixtures of granular materials is a topic which is of interest to a broad range of scientists from physicists, to geologists and engineers.
An everyday occurrence the phenomenon can be seen at the breakfast table where the fruit and nuts are usually found clustered at the top of a packet of muesli. The process can be driven by either simple avalanching in binary mixtures when the angle of repose of the constituents are different or it can be promoted using an external drive or perturbation.
We will discuss these issues and present the results of an experimental study of particle segregation in a binary mixture which is subject to a periodic horizontal forcing. A surprising self organization process is observed which shows critical behaviour in its formation. Connections with concepts from equilibrium phase transitions will be discussed.
Venue: Room 321D, Armstrong Building, Coventry University
No charge is made to attend meetings and non-members are welcome.
