Hexagons, Kinks and Disorder in Oscillated Granular Layers

Abstract

Experiments on vertically oscillated granular layers in an evacuated container reveal a sequence of well-defined pattern bifurcations as the container acceleration is increased. Period doublings of the layer center of mass motion and a parametric wave instability interact to produce hexagons and more complicated patterns composed of distinct spatial domains of different relative phase separated by kinks (phase discontinuities). Above a critical acceleration, the layer becomes disordered in both space and time.Comment: 4 pages. The RevTeX file has a macro allowing various styles. The appropriate style is "myprint" which is the defaul