Probing 3D Velocity Distributions Insights from a Vibrated Dual-Species Granular System

TL;DR

This study investigates how inelastic collisions affect velocity distributions in vibrated binary granular systems, revealing deviations from classical distributions and energy non-equipartition, with implications for non-equilibrium physics.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the impact of particle inelasticity on velocity distributions in vibrated granular gases through detailed simulations.

Findings

Velocity distributions deviate from Maxwell-Boltzmann as CoR decreases.

Energy non-equipartition increases with inelasticity.

Non-equilibrium steady states exhibit distinct velocity profiles.

Abstract

We explore the velocity distributions in a vibrated binary granular gas system, focusing on how these distributions are influenced by the coefficient of restitution (CoR) and the inelasticity of particle collisions. Through molecular dynamics simulations, we examine the system's behavior for a range of CoR values below unity: specifically, 0.80, 0.85, 0.90, and 0.95. We track the evolution of velocity distributions as the system approaches a non-equilibrium steady state. Our findings reveal a clear departure from the classical Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, with increasing deviations as CoR decreases, indicating non-equipartition of energy between the two particle types. This behavior underscores the intricate dynamics inherent in inelastic collisions and highlights the significance of particle inelasticity in determining the system's velocity distributions. These results provide insight into non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and have implications for real-world applications where granular materials are subject to external vibrations.