English

Stretched exponentials and power laws in granular avalanching

Statistical Mechanics 2009-10-31 v2

Abstract

We introduce a model for granular avalanching which exhibits both stretched exponential and power law avalanching over its parameter range. Two modes of transport are incorporated, a rolling layer consisting of individual particles and the overdamped, sliding motion of particle clusters. The crossover in behaviour observed in experiments on piles of rice is attributed to a change in the dominant mode of transport. We predict that power law avalanching will be observed whenever surface flow is dominated by clustered motion.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9805186,
  title  = {Stretched exponentials and power laws in granular avalanching},
  author = {D. A. Head and G. J. Rodgers},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9805186},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

8 pages, more concise and some points clarified. To appear in J. Phys. A