The dynamics of open precipitation tubes

When a flowing fluid is channeled by chemical or physical precipitation, then tubular structures form. These patterns are common in nature, however, there have been few quantitative studies of their formation. Here, we report measurements of the radius, length, and internal pressure, as functions of time and flow rate, for precipitation tubes growing in chemical gardens. Using these measurements we develop models for how single tubes grow and also for how multiple tubes interact with each other. In particular, when multiple tubes grow from the same source they compete for resources; short/wide tubes have less resistance to flow, and so consume more of the resources, "killing" the growth of long/narrow tubes. These tube interactions are described by an equation similar to an unstable logistic equation.