Dr. Neil Balmforth
RESEARCH INTERESTS


Sand ripples, snails and more:


Some other problems I have worked on include the dynamics of aeolian sand ripples, fluid and granular washboard patterns, and lubrication theory applied to the locomotion of snails and the rocking and rolling of a magic trick (the snailball).

Details of the robotic version of the theoretical snails can be found on the webpage of Peko Hosoi.

Click to enlarge
Sand ripples
(photograph by Antonello Provenzale)
Waves on a snail's foot
(evident are the contraction waves propagating forwards on the central portion of the snail's foot)
The snailball magic trick
(a metal shell filled with a viscous fluid and a heavy sphere)
Dynamics of aeolian sand ripples
Washboard patterns
Washboard patterns (movie)
Snail lubrication theory
More slug theory
Swimming in mud
Snailballs and more
Rolling rucks
Rolling over a pool

Department of Mathematics / Fluid Labs / Neil Balmforth / Research Interests