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Dynamics of crater formations in immersed granular materials

Germán Varas, Valérie Vidal, and Jean-Christophe Géminard
Phys. Rev. E 79, 021301 – Published 2 February 2009
Physics logo See Synopsis: Sand piles

Abstract

We report the formation of a crater at the free surface of an immersed granular bed, locally crossed by an ascending gas flow. In two dimensions, the crater consists of two piles which develop around the location of the gas emission. We observe that the typical size of the crater increases logarithmically with time, independently of the gas emission dynamics. We describe the related granular flows and give an account of the influence of the experimental parameters, especially of the grain size and of the gas flow.

    • Received 6 November 2008

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.79.021301

    ©2009 American Physical Society

    Synopsis

    Key Image

    Sand piles

    Published 9 February 2009

    Images of the craters that form in underwater sand piles as air is forced to flow from beneath lead to a quantitative model of granular flow.

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    Authors & Affiliations

    Germán Varas, Valérie Vidal, and Jean-Christophe Géminard

    • Laboratoire de Physique, Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, 46 Allée d’Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex, France

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    Issue

    Vol. 79, Iss. 2 — February 2009

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