Convective flow of granular masses under vertical vibrations

Abstract
We report an experimental study of the convective motion generated in a horizontal layer of solid particles under vertical vibrations. This convective flow occurs beyond a critical acceleration and a heap with a constant slope is generated. We show that the relevant mechanisms are the fluidization of the particles that results from their motion in the surrounding fluid, and the asymmetry between the ascending and descending motions that results from the existence of two regions of different packing structure