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Related Experiment Videos

Sequential fragmentation: the origin of columnar quasihexagonal patterns.

E A Jagla1, A G Rojo

  • 1Centro Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica, 8400 Bariloche, Argentina.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|February 28, 2002
PubMed
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This study models columnar quasihexagonal crack patterns in basaltic lava flows, explaining their origin through energy minimization during cooling. Numerical simulations accurately replicate these natural fracture patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Geophysics and materials science

Background:

  • Columnar jointing in basaltic lava flows forms quasihexagonal crack patterns.
  • These patterns arise from irregular fractures induced by temperature gradients during cooling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a model explaining the origin of columnar quasihexagonal crack patterns.
  • To predict the statistical properties of these natural fracture patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Developing a model based on energy minimization principles.
  • Conducting atomistic simulations to validate the model.
  • Performing numerical simulations of a phenomenological implementation.

Main Results:

  • The model successfully explains the tendency of fractures to form polygonal patterns.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Atomistic simulations confirm the energy minimization interpretation.
  • Numerical simulations show remarkable statistical agreement with real-world crack patterns.

    • Conclusions:

    • The observed ordering in columnar jointing is driven by energy minimization.
    • The presented model provides a robust framework for understanding and predicting these geological fracture patterns.