Abstract
We present experimental results on the velocity statistics of a granular fluid with an effective stochastic thermostat, in a quasi-two-dimensional configuration. We find the base state, as measured by the single particle velocity distribution in the central high-probability regions, to be well described by : It deviates from a Maxwell-Boltzmann by a second order Sonine polynomial with a single adjustable parameter . We find to be a function of the filling fraction and independent of the driving over a wide range of frequencies and accelerations. Moreover, there is a consistent overpopulation in the distribution’s tails, which scale as . To our knowledge, this is the first time that Sonine deviations have been measured in an experimental system.
8 More- Received 10 November 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.75.051311
©2007 American Physical Society