An approximate solution to the Boltzmann equation for vibrated granular   disks
  The behaviour of the lower order moments of the velocity distribution function for a system of inelastic granular disks driven by vertical vibrations is studied using a kinetic theory. A perturbative kinetic theory for vibro-fluidised beds was proposed by Kumaran (JFM, v. 364, 163). A scheme to generalise this theory to higher orders in the moments is presented here. With such a method it is possible to obtain an analytical solution to the moments of the distribution function up to third order. 
P Sunthar and V Kumaran