Does Nature like short range order and long range disorder on a macroscale?

Recently, we were measuring particles’ distribution in some fabric and paper material. We were comparing

two groups of samples in each category. First group is a sample that is as manufactured and the samples in

the second group are the same except for they are treated with some particles. All processes were done by

the manufacturer and we are not aware of the details; so the samples were characterized as received.

We found that the untreated samples did not exhibit any particulates; so no surprise here. However, when

we analyzed the treated samples, we found that particles are not present as a homogeneous distribution

throughout the sample. Inspecting layer by layer across the thickness of the samples, we found some sub-

surface layers are populated with particles but some sub-surface layers have no particles at all. Remarkably,

where the particles are present, they form some sort of a pattern such as a rectangular grid. This “particles

on grid” are also pretty irregular; that the pattern is not continuous on the whole layer. So, the results sort of

reminded us of the “short-range order” but “long-range disorder” which is supposed to be present in the

Nature.

Now, accidently, I had stumbled up on a few places on the Google Earth. For example, the Enewetak Atoll

is a small dot in the Pacific Ocean. Zooming in, one can see a few patches of green spots around the Atoll.

Further zooming in on a green area, it may seem that someone has planted the trees on a grid, as shown in

Fig. 1. However, if one looks a bit more carefully in the area where the trees have grown denser, one will

see that the grid pattern has disappeared.

So a hypothesis may be erected that “the thinly placed trees appear to be on a grid that disappears when they

grow denser.” This actually leads to a bigger picture (hypothesis), “The Nature likes short-range order and

long-range disorder.”

Out of curiosity, I started looking around all over the Globe (thanks to Google Earth!); although not in an

exhaustive way. I had tried to find any kind pattern in the Amazon Rainforest, hoping that the dense

vegetation in the Rainforest may have some interesting pattern but was not successful to find (see Fig. 2).

Roaming around the Globe, found a random forest somewhere in Virginia (Fig. 3) where nice pattern is

visible. Also, in Pennsylvania I found a patch in the Susquehannock State Forest (Fig. 4) where the thinly

populated tree patches show some kind of a grid formation while the thick tree patches, though just next to

the thin patch, have no short-range order. A very similar situation was also spotted in the Sundarbans,

Bangladesh (Fig. 5).

Though not exhaustive, but it is a pretty random sample from different corners of the Globe. All of them

apparently supporting the aforementioned hypothesis. So the question is, “does the Nature like short-range

order and long-range disorder on a macroscale?”

I invite your comments and discussion.

Thanks for your attention.

Anis Rahman

Hummelstown, PA.

anis@anirahman.org

Fig. 1. An area of the Enewetak Atoll

Regular grid pattern

is disappearing

(transition to long

range disorder)

when the forest is

growing denser

Regular grid pattern (short

range order) visible when

the forest is thinner

Fig. 2. Amazon Rainforest

No short range order

visible for the dense

Amazon Rainforest

Fig. 3. A random forest in VA (from Google Earth)

Short range order visible

in a forest in Virginia

Fig. 4. Denser forest loses its grid pattern that is visible where the trees are sparingly spread in a forest in PA.

The same trees in the denser area

exhibit no short-range order; rather

there is a long rage disorder.

A perfect example of short range order

where the trees are sparingly present.

Fig. 5. An area in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh. Some sort of a grid (short-range order?) in the thinly populated area but the denser area

has no specific pattern.