Complex Plasma Research Under Microgravity

Paper number

IAC-07-A2.1.01

Author

Mr. Manis Chaudhuri , Max-Planck-Institut for Extraterrestrial Physic, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Alexey Ivlev, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Hubertus Thomas, Max-Planck-Institut for Extraterrestrial Physic, Germany

Coauthor

Prof. Gregor Morfill, Max-Planck-Institut for Extraterrestrial Physic, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Andrey Lipaev, Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Coauthor

Dr. Vladimir Molotkov, Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Coauthor

Prof. Oleg Petrov, Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Coauthor

Prof. Vladimir Fortov, Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Year

2007

Abstract

``Complex" plasmas consists of ions, electrons and highly charged
micro particles and neutral gas. In the laboratory, the
microparticles are easily observable and the characteristic time
scale (as given by e.g. the dust plasma frequency) is much longer
than in `normal' electron-ion plasma. This allows us to investigate
many fundamental processes (phase transition, transport, wave
phenomena etc) at the most fundamental kinetic level.

In experiments on earth the microparticles are usually suspended
against gravity in strong electric fields which creates asymmetries,
stresses and pseudo-equilibrium states with sufficient free energy
to readily become unstable. Under microgravity conditions the
microparticles move into the bulk of the plasma and investigations
of the strongly coupled plasma under substantially stress-free
conditions are possible . To enable such studies, the `PKE-Nefedov'
laboratory, a German-Russian cooperation project, was launched and
installed on the ISS. The first basic experiments were performed in
March 2001. The next generation plasma lab `PK3 plus' was sent to
ISS in december, 2005 and is currently operating there. These
laboratories investigate mainly the properties of liquid and
crystalline plasmas in a capacitively coupled rf discharge chamber.
Some features of complex plasmas that have been observed under
microgravity conditions at the (individual particle) kinetic level
are: a microparticle free ``void" in the centre of the system with a
sharp boundary, demixing of complex plasma clouds formed by
microparticles of different sizes, crystalline structures,
torus-shaped vortices, coalescence of `liquid' complex plasma drops,
waves, shocks etc.

The DC discharge complex plasma experiments under microgravity
conditions were also performed. A combination of a DC and
inductively coupled rf discharge - the ``Plasma Kristall-4" (PK-4)
facility is planned to be used in future microgravity experiments.
PK-4 mainly utilizes a dc discharge plasma, which can optionally be
combined with one or two rf coils installed on the discharge tube.
This offers the capability to perform kinetic studies of a great
variety of dynamical phenomena in complex plasmas, such as laminar
shear flows and their transition into the turbulent regime,
collision experiments, formation of waves and their propagation etc.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A2.1.01.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A2.1.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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