title: Noise induces rare events in granular media.
abstract: The granular Leidenfrost effect [B. Meerson, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 024301 (2003)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.91.024301; P. Eshuis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 258001 (2005)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.95.258001] is the levitation of a mass of granular matter when a wall below the grains is vibrated, giving rise to a hot granular gas below the cluster. We find by simulation that for a range of parameters the system is bistable: the levitated cluster can occasionally break and give rise to two clusters and a hot granular gas above and below. We use techniques from the theory of rare events to compute the mean transition time for breaking to occur. This requires the introduction of a two-component reaction coordinate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan 48309, USA.
authors.forename: Evgeniy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Khain
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1120, USA.
authors.forename: Leonard M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sander