Introduction to granular temperature

The goal of this article is to provide a somewhat critical introduction to the concept of granular temperature and some of its applications. A brief history of the concept is followed by a presentation of several of its major properties and implications thereof. A number of misconceptions concerning this concept is presented and discussed. Certain open questions are described and some recent developments are briefly outlined.

Graphical abstractThe goal of this article is to acquaint the reader with the concept of granular temperature, its history, the advantages its use offers and some of the problems associated with its application. A list of common misconceptions regarding granular temperature is presented and discussed. Some major properties of granular gases are presented as well.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide