This Week in Physics — Why Death Valley Is Full of Polygons

This Week in Physics Magazine — February 27, 2023 Focus Why Death Valley Is Full of Polygons February 24, 2023 The geometric patterns on dry, salty lake beds are generated by convection of high- and low-salinity water underground, according to simulations and observations. Viewpoint Finding Nonlinearities in Black Hole Ringdowns Swetha Bhagwat – February 22, 2023 Simulations show that nonlinear spacetime dynamics manifest in the postmerger gravitational-wave signal of binary black hole coalescence. Viewpoint Water is Behind the Electrification of Sand Marco G. Mazza – February 27, 2023 The results of new experiments indicate that surface-adsorbed water molecules are responsible for contact electrification in granular matter, a finding that challenges established models of this phenomenon. Q&A Turbulent Dance of Cloud Droplets February 24, 2023 Rama Govindarajan models how turbulence influences the growth of droplets in clouds, information relevant to understanding the influence of these billowy masses on climate. synopsis A New Rheometer for Particle Suspensions February 24, 2023 The "capillarytron" lets researchers access mechanical properties of very dense suspensions. synopsis Improved Readout of Spin Qubits February 23, 2023 Two teams demonstrate an innovative way to measure the states of spin-based qubits—a key task in quantum computing. synopsis Freezing Particle Motion with a Matrix February 22, 2023 Researchers predict that the "scattering matrix" of a collection of particles could be used to slow the particles down, potentially allowing for the cooling of significantly more particles than is possible with current techniques. 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 © 2023 American Physical Society | All rights reserved View Email Online You are receiving this message because you signed up to receive Physics Magazine email alerts or are a member of APS. Manage Email Preferences.