326 research outputs found
Fragility and hysteretic creep in frictional granular jamming
The granular jamming transition is experimentally investigated in a
two-dimensional system of frictional, bi-dispersed disks subject to
quasi-static, uniaxial compression at zero granular temperature. Currently
accepted results show the jamming transition occurs at a critical packing
fraction . In contrast, we observe the first compression cycle exhibits
{\it fragility} - metastable configuration with simultaneous jammed and
un-jammed clusters - over a small interval in packing fraction (). The fragile state separates the two conditions that define
with an exponential rise in pressure starting at and an exponential
fall in disk displacements ending at . The results are explained
through a percolation mechanism of stressed contacts where cluster growth
exhibits strong spatial correlation with disk displacements. Measurements with
several disk materials of varying elastic moduli and friction coefficients
, show friction directly controls the start of the fragile state, but
indirectly controls the exponential slope. Additionally, we experimentally
confirm recent predictions relating the dependence of on . Under
repetitive loading (compression), the system exhibits hysteresis in pressure,
and the onset increases slowly with repetition number. This friction
induced hysteretic creep is interpreted as the granular pack's evolution from a
metastable to an eventual structurally stable configuration. It is shown to
depend upon the quasi-static step size which provides the only
perturbative mechanism in the experimental protocol, and the friction
coefficient which acts to stabilize the pack.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure
Two scenarios for avalanche dynamics in inclined granular layers
We report experimental measurements of avalanche behavior of thin granular
layers on an inclined plane for low volume flow rate. The dynamical properties
of avalanches were quantitatively and qualitatively different for smooth glass
beads compared to irregular granular materials such as sand. Two scenarios for
granular avalanches on an incline are identified and a theoretical explanation
for these different scenarios is developed based on a depth-averaged approach
that takes into account the differing rheologies of the granular materials.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev. Let
Entropic Tightening of Vibrated Chains
We investigate experimentally the distribution of configurations of a ring
with an elementary topological constraint, a ``figure-8'' twist. Using vibrated
granular chains, which permit controlled preparation and direct observation of
such a constraint, we show that configurations where one of the loops is tight
and the second is large are strongly preferred. This agrees with recent
predictions for equilibrium properties of topologically-constrained polymers.
However, the dynamics of the tightening process weakly violate detailed
balance, a signature of the nonequilibrium nature of this system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Square patterns in Rayleigh-Benard convection with rotation about a vertical axis
We present experimental results for Rayleigh-Benard convection with rotation
about a vertical axis at dimensionless rotation rates in the range 0 to 250 and
upto 20% above the onset. Critical Rayleigh numbers and wavenumbers agree with
predictions of linear stability analysis. For rotation rates greater than 70
and close to onset, the patterns are cellular with local four-fold coordination
and differ from the theoretically expected Kuppers-Lortz unstable state. Stable
as well as intermittent defect-free square lattices exist over certain
parameter ranges. Over other ranges defects dynamically disrupt the lattice but
cellular flow and local four-fold coordination is maintained.Comment: ReVTeX, 4 pages, 7 eps figures include
Rotating Convection in an Anisotropic System
We study the stability of patterns arising in rotating convection in weakly
anisotropic systems using a modified Swift-Hohenberg equation. The anisotropy,
either an endogenous characteristic of the system or induced by external
forcing, can stabilize periodic rolls in the K\"uppers-Lortz chaotic regime.
For the particular case of rotating convection with time-modulated rotation
where recently, in experiment, chiral patterns have been observed in otherwise
K\"uppers-Lortz-unstable regimes, we show how the underlying base-flow breaks
the isotropy, thereby affecting the linear growth-rate of convection rolls in
such a way as to stabilize spirals and targets. Throughout we compare
analytical results to numerical simulations of the Swift-Hohenberg equation
Knots and Random Walks in Vibrated Granular Chains
We study experimentally statistical properties of the opening times of knots
in vertically vibrated granular chains. Our measurements are in good
qualitative and quantitative agreement with a theoretical model involving three
random walks interacting via hard core exclusion in one spatial dimension. In
particular, the knot survival probability follows a universal scaling function
which is independent of the chain length, with a corresponding diffusive
characteristic time scale. Both the large-exit-time and the small-exit-time
tails of the distribution are suppressed exponentially, and the corresponding
decay coefficients are in excellent agreement with the theoretical values.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Quantum Films Adsorbed on Graphite: Third and Fourth Helium Layers
Using a path-integral Monte Carlo method for simulating superfluid quantum
films, we investigate helium layers adsorbed on a substrate consisting of
graphite plus two solid helium layers. Our results for the promotion densities
and the dependence of the superfluid density on coverage are in agreement with
experiment. We can also explain certain features of the measured heat capacity
as a function of temperature and coverage.Comment: 13 pages in the Phys. Rev. two-column format, 16 Figure
Annular electroconvection with shear
We report experiments on convection driven by a radial electrical force in
suspended annular smectic A liquid crystal films. In the absence of an
externally imposed azimuthal shear, a stationary one-dimensional (1D) pattern
consisting of symmetric vortex pairs is formed via a supercritical transition
at the onset of convection. Shearing reduces the symmetries of the base state
and produces a traveling 1D pattern whose basic periodic unit is a pair of
asymmetric vortices. For a sufficiently large shear, the primary bifurcation
changes from supercritical to subcritical. We describe measurements of the
resulting hysteresis as a function of the shear at radius ratio . This simple pattern forming system has an unusual combination of
symmetries and control parameters and should be amenable to quantitative
theoretical analysis.Comment: 12 preprint pages, 3 figures in 2 parts each. For more info, see
http://mobydick.physics.utoronto.c
Bifurcations in annular electroconvection with an imposed shear
We report an experimental study of the primary bifurcation in
electrically-driven convection in a freely suspended film. A weakly conducting,
submicron thick smectic liquid crystal film was supported by concentric
circular electrodes. It electroconvected when a sufficiently large voltage
was applied between its inner and outer edges. The film could sustain rapid
flows and yet remain strictly two-dimensional. By rotation of the inner
electrode, a circular Couette shear could be independently imposed. The control
parameters were a dimensionless number , analogous to the Rayleigh
number, which is and the Reynolds number of the
azimuthal shear flow. The geometrical and material properties of the film were
characterized by the radius ratio , and a Prandtl-like number . Using measurements of current-voltage characteristics of a large number of
films, we examined the onset of electroconvection over a broad range of
, and . We compared this data quantitatively to
the results of linear stability theory. This could be done with essentially no
adjustable parameters. The current-voltage data above onset were then used to
infer the amplitude of electroconvection in the weakly nonlinear regime by
fitting them to a steady-state amplitude equation of the Landau form. We show
how the primary bifurcation can be tuned between supercritical and subcritical
by changing and .Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. E. Minor changes after
refereeing. See also http://mobydick.physics.utoronto.c
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