Clustering and Correlations in Fluctuating Environments

Abstract:

Shared histories lead to strong correlations. Thus, particles which find themselves in the same evolving environment have a tendency to cluster and approach an interesting state. This talk is about such states, their scaling properties, and how they develop in time. A key signature is that the scaled correlation function is singular at small argument, with either a cusp or a divergence. Possible manifestations in the context of biology (clustering of membrane components on cell surfaces) and granular media (vibrated rods) will be discussed.