Acquisition of Instrumentation for Research and Student Training in Imaging Fast Dynamics in Macroscopic Disordered Media

这笔IMR赠款将使人们能够购买一种超快、高分辨率的视频成像系统，用于对从微米到几厘米的软凝聚物质系统中的快速运动进行先进成像。PI小组研究的物理系统包括凝胶、胶体、皱缩膜、颗粒状材料和多孔介质中的多相流。这项工作的统一主题是研究非平衡系统，在非平衡系统中，与分子尺度相比，基本单元较大。处理这种非热统计系统的基本理论框架仍处于初级阶段，然而，有了适当的仪器，就有可能以一种在传统材料中不可能的方式，对这些系统的单个宏观“原子和分子”的动力学进行详细的成像。视频成像系统将提高我们能够获取的数据流的帧速率、空间分辨率和长度。增加的帧速率将允许捕获快速动力学，如在高度激发的颗粒介质中的弹道运动；提高的分辨率将有助于解决小运动，如笼子系统中的热运动，而更长的数据流将使搜索罕见但重要的动力学事件，如应力材料中的间歇性裂纹跳跃和屈曲事件。成像系统也将通过网页安排时间，供其他当地用户使用。用户将得到研究生的帮助，从而扩大他们对广泛的科学问题的接触。许多项目涉及本科生的大量参与，新的能力将使他们接触到非常直观的材料物理分支的先进技术。这项IMR拨款将使他们能够购买一种超快、高分辨率的视频成像系统，用于对从微米到几厘米的软凝聚物质系统中的快速运动进行高级成像。研究小组研究的物理系统包括凝胶、胶体、皱缩的膜、颗粒状材料和多孔介质中的多相流。这些系统都具有巨大的工业重要性，然而，它们也提出了新的基本科学挑战，因为它们是具有基本单位的统计大小的系统，与分子规模相比非常大。处理这种非热系统的基本理论框架仍然处于初级阶段，然而，有了适当的仪器，就有可能以一种在传统材料中不可能实现的方式，对这些系统的单个宏观“原子和分子”的动力学进行详细的成像。视频成像系统将提高帧速率、空间分辨率和数据流的长度，使研究新现象成为可能。除了调查人员自己安排的项目外，成像系统将通过网页安排时间供其他本地用户使用。用户将得到研究生的帮助，从而扩大他们对广泛的科学问题的接触。许多项目涉及本科生的大量参与，新的能力将使他们接触到材料物理一个非常直观的分支的先进技术。

This IMR grant will enable the purchase of an ultrafast, high-resolution, video-imaging system for advanced imaging of fast motions in soft-condensed matter systems from a scale of microns to several centimetres. The physical systems worked on by the group of PIs include gels, colloids, crumpled membranes, granular materials, and multiphase flow in porous media. The unifying theme in this work is the study of non-equilibrium systems in which the elementary units are large compared to molecular scales. The underlying theoretical framework to deal with such non-thermal statistical systems is still in its infancy, however, with the appropriate instrumentation it is possible to perform detailed imaging of the dynamics of the individual macroscopic "atoms and molecules" of these systems in a way that is not possible in conventional materials. The video-imaging system will enhance the frame rate, spatial resolution and the length of data streams we are able to acquire. The increased frame rate will allow capturing fast dynamics, such as ballistic motions in highly excited granular media; the improved resolution will help resolve small motions such as thermal motions in caged systems and longer data streams will enable a search for rare but important dynamical events such as intermittent crack jumps and buckling events in stressed materials. The imaging system will also be available to other local users by scheduling time via a webpage. The users will be aided by graduate students, thus broadening their exposure to a broad spectrum of scientific problems. Many of the projects involve considerable involvement by undergraduate students and the new capabilities will afford them exposure to advanced techniques in a very visual branch of materials physics.This IMR grant will enable the purchase of an ultrafast, high-resolution, video-imaging system for advanced imaging of fast motions in soft-condensed matter systems from a scale of microns to several centimetres. The physical systems worked on by the group of investigators include gels, colloids, crumpled membranes, granular materials, and multiphase flow in porous media. These are all systems of immense industrial importance, however, they also present new basic scientific challenges in that they are statistically-sized systems with elementary units that are very large compared to molecular scales. The underlying theoretical framework to deal with such non-thermal systems is still in its infancy, however, with the appropriate instrumentation it is possible to perform detailed imaging of the dynamics of the individual macroscopic "atoms and molecules" of these systems in a way that is not possible in conventional materials. The video-imaging system will enhance the frame rate, spatial resolution and the length of data streams making it possible to study new phenomena. Apart from projects scheduled by the investigators themselves, the imaging system will be available to other local users by scheduling time via a webpage. The users will be aided by graduate students, thus broadening their exposure to a broad spectrum of scientific problems. Many of the projects involve considerable involvement by undergraduate students and the new capabilities will afford them exposure to advanced techniques in a very visual branch of materials physics.