The minimization of mechanical work in vibrated granular matter

Experiments and computer simulations are carried out to investigate phase separation in a granular gas under vibration. The densities of the dilute and the dense phase are found to follow a lever rule and obey an equation of state. Here we show that the Maxwell equal-areas construction predicts the coexisting pressure and binodal densities remarkably well, even though the system is far from thermal equilibrium. This construction can be linked to the minimization of mechanical work associated with density fluctuations without invoking any concept related to equilibrium-like free energies

Korrelation von Zwillingsbau und Kristallwachstum bei Fe-dotierten natuerlichen und synthetischen Quarzkristallen

Available from TIB Hannover: H93B2071 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Solid-fluid transition and surface melting in wet granular matter

By means of molecular-dynamics simulations, we study the transition from solid-like to fluid-like behavior in sinusoidally vibrated wet granular matter. We find that the peak acceleration at which the transition occurs depends not only on the capillary bridge force but also on the driving energy of the bottom plate, which reduces the effect of the capillary bridge force. A simple argument based on the balance of the maximal forces acting on a one-dimensional column is able to predict the transition found in simulations surprisingly well. Furthermore, it predicts surface melting to occur at this transition, which is also found in simulations