"Network Analysis of Particles and Grains"

Our review article on granular and particulate networks, which appeared in advanced access a few months ago, is now out in final form (with its page numbers and other coordinates). Here are some details.

Title: Network Analysis of Particles and Grains

Authors: Lia Papadopoulos, Mason A. Porter, Karen E. Daniels, and Danielle S. Bassett

Abstract: The arrangements of particles and forces in granular materials have a complex organization on multiple spatial scales that range from local structures to mesoscale and system-wide ones. This multiscale organization can affect how a material responds or reconfigures when exposed to external perturbations or loading. The theoretical study of particle-level, force-chain, domain and bulk properties requires the development and application of appropriate physical, mathematical, statistical and computational frameworks. Traditionally, granular materials have been investigated using particulate or continuum models, each of which tends to be implicitly agnostic to multiscale organization. Recently, tools from network science have emerged as powerful approaches for probing and characterizing heterogeneous architectures across different scales in complex systems, and a diverse set of methods have yielded fascinating insights into granular materials. In this article, we review work on network-based approaches to studying granular matter and explore the potential of such frameworks to provide a useful description of these systems and to enhance understanding of their underlying physics. We also outline a few open questions and highlight particularly promising future directions in the analysis and design of granular matter and other kinds of material networks.

"We're NASA And We Know It"

If you haven't yet watched this parody of this song, you really should because it's pretty funny. On a more serious note, this kind of thing is really good for conveying the excitement of science to the public, and I would very much like to see more stuff like this.

(Tip of the cap to several people.)

Grumpy!

You know how a lot of people have .signatures when sending e-mail from certain devices along the lines of 'Forgive the short message. Sent from my [item].'?

I need to start including a message, 'Forgive my grumpiness. I am in a foul mood.' to my e-mails, and I also need to be able to call this up at a moment's notice.

[Actually, what really need to do is to not respond until tomorrow before I write something I regret. :) I also need to make sure I am awake for 2am, though.]

I had a red-eye flight last night and the bloody customs officer this morning gave me all sorts of shit when I tried to enter the UK this morning. I was asked the same question multiple times by multiple people --- I think some questions were asked as many as 4 times --- and I then had an extra-special security check (which was thankfully short). Man does this endear me to this country... (I felt so fed up that thoughts of buying a plane ticket back to the US and boarding such a flight asap flitted briefly through my head.)

Update: Or to paraphrase my comment from lunch today, I am the "public relations" specialist at Somerville. (And if you don't understand this quote, then I need to educate you about a certain tv program! My colleagues were amused by my comment, though I don't think they appreciated the full power of the reference.)