Fundamental Complex Plasma Research on Ground and under Microgravity Conditions
Abstract
Complex (dusty) plasma is plasma containing small solid particles in the sub-mm range. Those "dust" particles are highly charged due to the collection of electrons and ions and they interact electrostatically. Depending on the charge, density, and kinetic temperature of the particles, the interaction may be strong leading to collective effects and the emergence of liquid or solid behavior. In that sense complex plasmas are perfect model systems for the investigation of fundamental processes in classical condensed matter physics since their constituent mesoscopic particles are individually observable and can be regarded as classically interacting "proxy atoms". The term "complex plasmas" is widely used in the literature to distinguish dusty plasmas composed of a weakly ionized gas and charged microparticles specially "designed" for investigations in classical condensed matter, from naturally occurring systems. Gravity influences the complex plasma, the microparticles sediment and stable systems can only be achieved through counteracting gravity with other volume forces, e.g. electric or thermophoretic force. This allows producing two-dimensional - monolayer - systems, or three-dimensional systems under stress. Only under weightlessness conditions, large and homogeneous 3D systems can be formed. Although phenomena in classical condensed matter physics are in the forefront of complex plasma research the basic know-how gained from experiments, theory and numerical simulations can be of importance for the understanding of naturally occurring dusty plasmas in space. Thus, in this presentation I will show recent work on complex plasmas from the ground and first results from the PK-4 facility onboard the International Space Station ISS. Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the joint ESA-ROSCOSMOS Experiment «Plasma Kristall-4» onboard the International Space Station ISS. This work is partly supported by DLR grant 50WM1441/ 50WM1442 and by the Russian Science Foundation under the grant #14-12-01235.
- Publication:
-
41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016cosp...41E1906T