Science / Technology - Colloquium
Monday, September 24, 2007
4:00 PM-5:00 PM
Olin Hall
107
I will discuss experiments that study the ordering of fluidised rod-like grains into orientationally ordered states and compare these to the phases of equilibrium liquid crystalline systems. The most dramatic phenomena in the system, however, are associated with the motions of the rods rather than their order. These nonequilibrium effects include persistent vortices and large-scale swirling. Most importantly, the population of rods shows giant, persistent density fluctuations, which I will discuss in the context of recent ideas of the flocking and
swarming of active, or self-propelled, particles.
Cost: FREE
Sponsored by: WPI Physics Department, Dr. Stephan Koehler
Suggested Audiences: College
E-mail:
sak@wpi.edu
Phone: 508-831-5090
Last Modified: September 11, 2007 at 2:28 PM
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