Work

Rotating saddle trap as Foucault's pendulum

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: One of the many surprising results found in the mechanics of rotating systems is the stabilization of a particle in a rapidly rotating planar saddle potential. Besides the counterintuitive stabilization, an unexpected precessional motion is observed. In this note, we show that this precession is due to a Coriolis-like force caused by the rotation of the potential. To our knowledge, this is the first example where such a force arises in an inertial reference frame. We also propose a simple mechanical demonstration of this effect.

Source: American Journal of Physics

DOI: 10.1119/1.4933206

Authors: Oleg N. Kirillov, Mark Levi

Institutions: Russian Academy of Sciences, Steklov Mathematical Institute, Pennsylvania State University

Language: English

Topic: Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies

Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Science Foundation, FP7 Ideas: European Research Council

Awards: Instabilities and nonlocal multiscale modelling of materials, Nonlinear Dynamics with Applications to Physical Systems