title: Dynamics of a shallow fluidized bed.
abstract: The results of the experimental study of the dynamics of a shallow fluidized bed are reported. The behavior of granular material is controlled by the interplay of two factors--levitation due to the upward airflow, and sliding back due to gravity. Near the threshold of instability, the system shows critical behavior with remarkably long transient dynamics. The experimental observations are compared with a simple cellular automata model.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0402, USA.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tsimring
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sherman