Systematic Onset of Periodic Patterns in Random Disk Packings

Nikola Topic, Thorsten Pöschel, and Jason A. C. Gallas
Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 148002 – Published 5 April 2018

Abstract

We report evidence of a surprising systematic onset of periodic patterns in very tall piles of disks deposited randomly between rigid walls. Independently of the pile width, periodic structures are always observed in monodisperse deposits containing up to 107 disks. The probability density function of the lengths of disordered transient phases that precede the onset of periodicity displays an approximately exponential tail. These disordered transients may become very large when the channel width grows without bound. For narrow channels, the probability density of finding periodic patterns of a given period displays a series of discrete peaks, which, however, are washed out completely when the channel width grows.

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  • Received 6 July 2017
  • Revised 14 December 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.148002

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Polymers & Soft Matter

Authors & Affiliations

Nikola Topic1, Thorsten Pöschel1,2, and Jason A. C. Gallas1,2,3

  • 1Institute for Multiscale Simulation, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
  • 2Instituto de Altos Estudos da Paraíba, Rua Silvino Lopes 419-2502, 58039-190 João Pessoa, Brazil
  • 3Complexity Sciences Center, 9225 Collins Avenue Suite 1208, Surfside, Florida 33154, USA

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Issue

Vol. 120, Iss. 14 — 6 April 2018

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