Manchester Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics

The Manchester Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics is comprised of researchers from the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester. Research within the group is based upon the application of a combined approach of theoretical modelling, computation and detailed quantitative experimental investigations of nonlinear phenomena.

Granular jets and hydraulic jumps on an inclined planeMulti-component particle-size segregation in shallow granular avalanchesGravity-driven granular free-surface flow around a circular cylinderRaleigh-Taylor instability in a finite cylinderParticle-size segregation in dense granular avalanchesUnderlying asymmetry within particle size segregationSegregation induced finger formation in granular free-surface flows

Latest News: Work at the MCND on the curling of ribbons has been featured in a BBC News article. For more details see Anne Juel's site or our paper in PNAS.

Features

A perforated column can buckle in a complex way when compressed, due to interactions between deformations over the lengthscale of the whole column, bending of the thin ligaments that separate the perforations, and nonlinearity of material response. Read more...

Sinuous instability of a confined jet

Left: Passive tracers (shown as streaks) in a confined turbulent momentum jet; middle: corresponding velocity field (arrows) and vorticity field (background) measured using particle image velocimetry; right: schematic of the self-similar unstable sinuous core and alternating side vortices.

Granular shocks in shallow free-surface flows

Granular avalanches exhibit discontinuous shocks and bores with complex interaction dynamics.

Viscous fingering under an elastic membrane.

Above a critical flow rate of air injection into a oil-filled elastic cell, the interface becomes unstable and an unusual fingering pattern develops.

Airway reopening.

The reopening of pulmonary airways can occur through the propagation of long air finger. If the occluded elastic tube is initially very strongly collapsed, multiple reopening bubbles such as double-tipped (top) or pointed bubbles (bottom) can occur. Read more...