Depinning by fracture in a glassy background.
We force a single particle through a two-dimensional simulated glass of smaller particles. We find that the particle velocity obeys a robust power law that persists to drive wells above threshold. As the single driven particle moves, it induces cooperative distortions in the surrounding medium. We show theoretically that a fracture model for these distortions produces power-law behavior and discuss implications for experimental probes of soft matter systems.
Hastings
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MB
Center for Nonlinear Studies and Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
Olson Reichhardt
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CJ
Reichhardt
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