Sliding seeds can provide insight into devastating landslides and rock avalanches.
The First Science Research News:
From the American Institute of Physics, AIP:
https://publishing.aip.org/publications/latest-content/seed-slippage-champati-cha-cha/
WASHINGTON, Nov 19, 2024 – Champatis, the seeds of the Lapsi tree, are valued in Nepal for their medical, economic, social, and cultural significance. They are also popular among children as simple playthings. But for a group of physicists, these unique seeds — and the way they bounce and roll down slopes — could help them better understand landslides and avalanches, leading to research that could save lives.
In a study published this week in Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, a team at the Technical University of Munich, the Kathmandu Institute of Complex Flows, and Tribhuvan University studied how Champatis roll and bounce down inclines. They suggested these seeds could serve as an analogue in the study of geological flow, particularly in a region prone to landslides and avalanches.
“We are primarily interested in the scientific question of the dynamics and deposition of Champati slide: how it flows, where it goes, how far, and with what force,” said author Shiva Pudasaini from Kathmandu.
“Soon after the mass hits the ground, the behavior is unprecedented and appears to be highly unpredictable,” Pudasaini said.
This research may provide valuable insights into geological flows, including hyperspreading of rock avalanches, and could contribute to resolving challenges in this area. Additionally, findings may have significant implications for industrial process engineering.
