Discrete Element Modeling

Although I'm used to the acronym DEM to mean Elevation Model, I was fascinated by the concept of Discrete Element Modeling done by CRREL work that I learned about last week to model distinct particles as they exist in nature. There are trillions of trillions of particles in any system and modeling how they move, whether it be dust, snow, or any type of particle is impossible because the eddy currents and complexities within systems are too difficult to model. That's why I find it so interesting about why people are trying to model things such as dust and snow blowing under helicopter rotors.
There is a line between what is important to study. Whether to get these intricate details on the particle level right, or whether to understand the concepts, and apply these generally to a larger system. Perhaps microcosms of physical situations will help us understand the details about larger scale situations about the real world. Its funny that in GCM's we study the earth in a large scales with enormous pixels and only a handful of atmospheric layers. But then we also have the ability to try to model every single element in a small picture of that pixel that may represent a localized reality. It's the general principles that can be learned from both that I think people will gain the most knowledge from, since it is impossible to combine the two. They each have their valuable purpose, and we can't confuse the two.