Like sand through the hourglass

Fractals in the sand

Gas fingers in glass beads confirm fluid-theory prediction.

Researchers have confirmed a previously unobserved property of fluids by watching the fractal expansion of a pocket of gas into a thin layer of glass beads.

The experiment adds detail to the understanding of a phenomenon called ‘viscous fingering’, which has been studied for more than 50 years. When two fluids with different viscosities are mixed together, the more freely flowing fluid expands in finger-shaped intrusions into the other fluid. This has been observed in many different systems, including between fine grains such as sand.

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