Flowing Beads

A particle separation map of colored beads mixed in a tumbler.  

After mixing beads in a tumbling drum, scientists created this map of the mixing pattern. The complex pattern created after mixing the different beads delineates coherent structures, providing insight into how grains mix.  

Related Abstract

  From streamline jumping to strange eigenmodes: Learning from simple continuum models of granular mixing

Reporters and Editors

Journalists wishing to reproduce this image for news stories about related research should include the following image credit: Ivan C. Christov, Princeton University.