East Midlands Branch

 

THE INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS

AND ITS APPLICATIONS

 

Patterns in the Sand:

the Physics of granular flow.

 

Professor Tom Mullin

 

Director of the Manchester Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics,

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester

 

Thursday 8^th May, 2008 -  starting at 7.30 pm

Maths & Physics Building, Room B13

University of  Nottingham, University Park

[Campus map – http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/campuses/maps.php  ]

 

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 a new 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.

 

No charge is made to attend meetings, non-IMA members are welcome

 

 

The 2008 Branch AGM will be held during the evening

starting at 7.00pm, Maths and Physics Building, B13

 

 

The event is coordinated by East Midlands Branch Secretary, Dr Stephen Hibberd, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, email: stephen.hibberd@nottingham.ac.uk.

Details of East Midlands Branch activities: http://www.ima.org.uk/EMidBranch/ima.html