The electrostatic charge that is generated when two materials are contacted or rubbed and
then separated is a well-known physical process that has been studied for more than 2500 …

The arrangements of particles and forces in granular materials have a complex organization
on multiple spatial scales that range from local structures to mesoscale and system-wide …

The electrification of volcanic ash plumes and the occurrence of volcanic lightning are now
known to be common phenomena during explosive volcanic eruptions. This knowledge …

Soft materials consist of basic units that are significantly larger than an atom but much
smaller than the overall dimensions of the sample. The label “soft condensed matter” …

Models for same-material contact electrification in granular media often rely on a local
charge-driving parameter whose spatial variations lead to a stochastic origin for charge …

Observations of flowing granular matter have suggested that same-material tribocharging
depends on particle size, typically rendering large grains positive and small ones negative …

The electrification of volcanic plumes has been described intermittently since at least the
time of Pliny the Younger and the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius. Although sometimes …

Clustering of fine particles is of crucial importance in settings ranging from the early stages
of planet formation,, to the coagulation of industrial powders and airborne pollutants …

In protoplanetary disks, solid objects (so-called planetesimals) are formed from dust.
Micrometre-sized dust grains grow into millimetre-sized aggregates. Once those aggregates …

Electrostatic charging of insulating fine particles can be responsible for numerous
phenomena ranging from lightning in volcanic plumes to dust explosions. However, even …