  Molecular dynamics simulation has been used to model pattern formation in
three-dimensional Rayleigh--Benard convection at the discrete-particle level.
Two examples are considered, one in which an almost perfect array of
hexagonally-shaped convection rolls appears, the other a much narrower system
that forms a set of linear rolls; both pattern types are familiar from
experiment. The nature of the flow within the convection cells and quantitative
aspects of the development of the hexagonal planform based on automated polygon
subdivision are analyzed. Despite the microscopic scale of the system,
relatively large simulations with several million particles and integration
timesteps are involved.
