Vibrating grains form
floating clumps
A new rocket-borne microgravity
experiment shows that granular materials that are shaken into a cloud
in a closed box can spontaneously gather into motionless lumps.
References:
Falcon, É., et al. 1999. Cluster formation in a granular medium
fluidized by vibrations in low gravity. Physical Review Letters
83(July 12):440.
Further Readings:
Perkins, S. 1998. Whither heapeth the dancing sands? Science News
153(Feb. 7):95.
Peterson, I. 1996. Shaken bead beds show pimples and dimples. Science
News 150(Aug. 31):135.
Images and more information on studies of granular materials by Éric
Falcon and colleagues can be found at http://www.lps.ens.fr/recherche/physique-non-lineaire.
Sources:
Éric Falcon
École Normale Supérieure
Laboratoire de Physique Statistique
24, rue l'Homond
75 231 Paris Cedex 05
France
Jerry P. Gollub
Haverford College
Physics Department
370 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA 19041
Stefan Luding
Institut fuer Computeranwendungen 1
Pfaffenwaldring 27
70569 Stuttgart
Germany
From Science
News, Vol. 156, No. 3, July 17, 1999, p. 38.
Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
