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From: 5134jtc@hou2b.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: SCRUNCH and UNSCRUNCH on the highway
Message-ID: <29@hou2b.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 17:27:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2b.29
Posted: Tue Jun 14 17:27:59 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 15-Jun-83 23:24:48 EDT
Lines: 16


The oscillations in speed that take place on a crowded highway
can be understood somewhat through analogy with mechanical
coil springs.  (There are electrical analogs too.)  Imagine a
long skinny coiled spring resting on a slippery floor, and held
in place at both ends.  If you squeeze the middle part toward
one end, then let go, you get compressions and stretchouts
that bounce back and forth.  The traffic stream is somewhat
like this, and technical people talk about it in terms of energy
storage and energy interchange.  I guess there's some positive feedback
that explains the crashes.  Maybe someday I'll try to put together
a more complete explanation and put it on net.physics (or net.math?).
Better yet, maybe some up-to-date math whiz will do it so I won't
have to try, and maybe goof it up.

John Cocker.....hou2b!5134jtc....201-949-2595