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Highlights of 12 Years of Plasma Research on the ISS

Highlights of 12 Years of Plasma Research on the ISS. Gregor Morfill Max-Planck Institut für extraterrestrische Physik UK Meeting, Leicester, November 9, 2013. -. 6. 3. n. Z. cm. (. ). 30. 10. white dwarfs. Sun (center). 25. 10. 50 % ionization. hydrogen plasma. Laserplasma.

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Highlights of 12 Years of Plasma Research on the ISS

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  1. Highlights of 12 Years of Plasma Research on the ISS Gregor Morfill Max-Planck Institut für extraterrestrische Physik UK Meeting, Leicester, November 9, 2013

  2. - 6 3 n Z cm ( ) 30 10 white dwarfs Sun (center) 25 10 50 % ionization hydrogen plasma Laserplasma Focus 20 10 Z-pinches Shock tubes High pressure arcs Fusion reactor 15 10 Fusion experiments Alkali Low pressure metal 10 10 plasma glow discharge R. F. Solar corona plasma Flames 5 Earth 10 ionosphere H II Regions Solar wind (1 AU) Earth plasma sheet 0 10 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 -2 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1. Extendingthe frontiers of plasmaphysics Strong coupling regime Morfill and Thomas 1999

  3. A Problem? • A highly charged cold plasma is needed for strong coupling effects. • Common wisdom: at low temperatures no (high) charges are possible. • On the contrary, recombination sets in and matter becomes neutral.

  4. Problem solving… • The solutionistoproduce a weaklycharged (ionised) coldplasmaandtoaddsmallmicrospheres – „complexplasmas“. • These microspheresattainupto 1000s ofelementarycharges. • Theyarelitupwithlaserlightandareindividuallyvisible. These microspheresare „heavy“ Thatexplainswhymicrogravityisneeded Polymer (MF) microspheres: diameter d» 9 mm charge Q » -104e spacing a» 0.6 mm

  5. - 6 3 n Z cm ( ) 30 10 white dwarfs Sun (center) 25 10 50 % ionization hydrogen plasma Laserplasma Focus 20 10 Z-pinches Shock tubes High pressure arcs Fusion reactor 15 10 Fusion experiments Alkali Low pressure metal 10 10 plasma glow discharge R. F. Solar corona plasma Flames 5 Earth 10 ionosphere H II Regions Solar wind (1 AU) Earth plasma sheet 0 10 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 -2 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1. Extendingthe frontiers of plasmaphysics Plasma crystals Complexplasmas 50 decades of phase space Morfill and Thomas 1999

  6. 2. Structureanddynamics of matterat „atomisticscale“ resolution Electron microscope: grain boundary in Gold Single and bi-layer graphene

  7. An alternative – Complex Plasmas • Comparedtoatomicsystems: • sizeamplifiedby 10 Million • velocitiesslowedto 1 Millionth • studiesatthe extreme limits of naturalphenomenaarepossible • classicalsystems Polymer (MF) microspheres: diameter d» 9 mm charge Q » -104e spacing a» 0.6 mm 2D Plasma Crystal Turbulence Phase separation Kinetic jets

  8. An alternative – Complex Plasmas Exploringthe extreme limits: 1. Strong couplinglimit 2. Smallnesslimit of naturalphenomena 3. Applicationlimit of hydrodynamics 4. Kineticview of matter …. etc. Polymer (MF) microspheres: diameter d» 9 mm charge Q » -104e spacing a» 0.6 mm 2D Plasma Crystal Turbulence Phase separation Kinetic jets

  9. What have we learnt so far? A small selection from over 600 publications…

  10. Plasma Research on Earth – „Flat systems“

  11. Kineticstructure of 2D complexplasmafluids Experimental set-up: A monolayerplasmacrystalisproduced, using 9.2m monodisperse particles. Itisthenmeltedusing an electric pulse fromthetwowiresshown. The dashedsquareshowsthefield of view of thecamera (500f/s, 1024x1024 pixel, 0.034 mm/pixelresolution). Approx. 3400 particleswere in thefield of view.

  12. Experiment: A monolayerplasmacrystalisproduced. The crystalismeltedandthenallowedtorecrystallise. Duringrecrystallisationthecrystalline order isrestored. The statistics of latticedislocationsis a goodmeasure of crystalline order.

  13. Statistics of 5/7 defects in 2D plasmacrystals N6/N  60% N6/N  94% Knapec et al, PRL98, 015004, 2007

  14. “Gliding dislocations”in 2D plasma crystals V. Nosenko, S. K. Zhdanov, and G. E. Morfill, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 025002 (2007)

  15. 5 mm |y6| 1 0.1 “Gliding dislocations”in 2D plasma crystals V. Nosenko, S. K. Zhdanov, and G. E. Morfill, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 025002 (2007)

  16. Plasma Research in Space – 3D systems

  17. Experiments on the ISS Anatoli Nefedov PKE-Nefedov Toseeourlaboratory on the ISS: WWW.heavens-above.com

  18. Investigate the structural properties of 3D complex plasma systems on the ISS in space FCC HCP Fluid P. Huber – colour coded real complex plasma measurements, taken with PK-3Plus in 2007

  19. Two-component fluids • Phase separation – • the „oil-water problem“ investigated at the level of individual particles. • How small can the system be and still separate? • What is the transition to thermodynamics at the smallness limit? • What is the role of the interaction potential?

  20. Two-component fluids First kinetic studies of phase separation 3.4 µm particle 9.2 µm particle

  21. Electrorheological (ER) fluids One theory to explain the electrorheological effect is the ´electrostatic theory´. This assumes a two-phase system (fluid and dielectric suspension). The particles develop induced dipoles in the presence of an external electric field and consequently align along this field. + + + – + + – + + – + + – – + + – + – + – – + – – + + – – – + + – + – – + – – –

  22. Electrorheological (ER) fluids • Electrorheological fluids (or smart fluids) are soft matter fluids - • suspensions of extremely fine electrically active particles in a • non conducting liquid, where the interparticle interaction (and • hence the rheology) is determined by external electric fields. • ER fluids represent a broad class of viscoelastic media: At low • fields they are “normal” liquids. Above a critical field, at low • shear stresses, they behave like elastic solids and above a • critical ´yield stress´ like • viscous liquids. • Industrial applications: hydraulics, shock absorbers, displays, photonics…

  23. Sequence with small modulating AC amplitude (26 Volts p-p) showing the characteristic complex plasma isotropic fluid phase PK-3Plus, Th. Reiter (2006)

  24. Sequence with high modulating AC amplitude (66 Volts p-p) The first observation of the phase transition of an isotropic complex plasma fluid to an electrorheological ´string plasma´ PK-3Plus, Th. Reiter (2006)

  25. Exploring the limits of co-operative behaviour in fluids – ´kinetics of jets´ The formation of jetsis a goodexampleforstudyingcooperativephenomena. Jet formationisclearly a cooperativeeffect, which in thediscretelimit of onlyweaklyinteractingparticlesГ≪1will not evenoccur. A ´Laval nozzle´ is produced by a glass tube constriction introduced in a dc. discharge complex plasma flow. PK-4 Fink et al. 2005 (PK-4, parabolic flight)

  26. Exploring the limits of co-operative behaviour in fluids – ´kinetics of jets´ A ´Laval nozzle´ is produced by a glass tube constriction introduced in a dc. discharge complex plasma flow. collective single Fink et al. 2005 (PK-4, parabolic flight)

  27. Towards the next 12 Years of Plasma Research on the ISS

  28. Past and future µg-research in complex plasmas – a long term program with long term success PK-4 PK-3 Plus PKE-Nefedov 2014 Texus 2012 µ-gravity experiments 2010 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 1996 1994 New plasma chambers developed for PlasmaLab PlasmaLab

  29. Where will the future be? Not at MPE….. In Germany theresearch will becontinuedat DLR. And in Europe generally I hopethatthe UK will againplaytheimportantrolethatitplayed in thepast. Thankyou

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