| The fundamental mechanisms governing dry friction are far from understood. We are limited by our lack of detailed knowledge of the spatio-temporal dynamics of the micro-contact ensemble that forms the boundary separating two sliding bodies. These dynamics are revealed by concurrent local measurements of the real contact area and local displacement (slip), performed over 8 decades of timescales. These measurements provide a detailed picture of frictional slip initiation, arrest, and contact re-healing. |
|