Discreteness effects on soliton dynamics: a simple experiment
arXiv:nlin/0002001 · doi:10.1119/1.19483
Abstract
We present a simple laboratory experiment to illustrate some aspects of the soliton theory in discrete lattices with a system that models the dynamics of dislocations in a crystal or the properties of adsorbed atomic layers. The apparatus not only shows the role of the Peierls-Nabarro potential but also illustrates the hierarchy of depinning transitions and the importance of the collective motion in mass transport.
9 pages, 4 Figures, to Appear in American Journal of Physics