Sand dunes are magnificent geological structures which arise spontaneously due to the dynamical interplay between granular matter and the turbulent flow. They rarely occur in isolation, but often form larger collectives known as dune fields, whose structure is believed to be controlled by dune-dune interactions. In this talk I will give a gentle introduction to the physics of sand dunes, illustrate it with laboratory experiments, and use it as an excuse to cherish everyone's favourite concepts of undergraduate math(s).
Speaker(s): Karol Bacik (University of Cambridge)