Abstract
A flat box, almost completely filled with a mixture of granulate, is rotated slowly about its horizontal central axis. In this experiment, a regular vortex flow of the granular material is observed in the cell plane. These vortex structures have a superficial analogy to convection rolls in dissipative structures of ordinary liquids. Whereas in the latter, the origin of the convection can often be attributed to gradients e.g. of densities or surface tensions, there is no trivial explanation at present for the convection of the granulate in the rotating container. Despite the simplicity of the experiment, the underlying mechanisms for convection and segregation are difficult to extract. Here, we present a comprehensive experimental study of the patterns under various experimental conditions and propose a mechanism for the convection.
Published Version
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