Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Pattern formation

Watch your step

Beautiful, intricate patterns in limestone result from feedback between hydrodynamics and chemistry. This self-organizing process resides in an unfamiliar region of parameter space for systems of deposition under fluid flow.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Sketch of the parameter space for surface growth and erosion/dissolution under fluid flow.
Figure 2: Ice terraces forming under a thin sheet of flowing water demonstrate an unusual pattern formation regime.

References

  1. Veysey, J. II & Goldenfeld, N. Nature Phys. 4, 310–313 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hammer, Ø. et al. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 256, 258–263 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Buhmann, D. & Dreybrodt, W. Chem. Geol. 48, 189–211 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hammer, Ø. Watch your step. Nature Phys 4, 265–266 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys915

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys915

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing