Transitions between multiple attractors in a granular experiment.
We report on a granular experiment that produces multiple quasiperiodic pattern solutions in a rotating flat container filled with a bidisperse mixture of grains. The observed dynamics show a pronounced spatiotemporally periodic drift of segregated patterns. In the course of long experiment durations, the system switches between different states that appear to be stable oscillatory solutions over many periods. In the long-term limit, the system does not tend toward a stationary state. The results complement and extend previous observations in cylindrical geometries, and represent a challenge for modeling and theoretical description.
Otto-von-Guericke-University, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
Frank
F
Rietz
Ralf
R
Stannarius
D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D044367:Phase Transition; D011208:Powders / Q000737:chemistry*
D003102:Colloids; D011208:Powders