Complex Flow of Granular Material in a Rotating Cylinder

The flow of granular material in a rotating cylinder was simulated by molecular dynamics in two dimensions using spherical as well as nonspherical grains. At very low but constant angular velocity we found that the flow varies irregularly with time. The particles move stick-slip like i.e. there are avalanches of different size at the surface of the granular material. Observing the traces of the particles we found that there are unstable convection cells. Our results agree with recent experiments by Rajchenbach [1] and Rolf [2].