Journal article
PKE-Nefedov: plasma crystal experiments on the International Space Station
New journal of physics, Vol.5, 33
04/22/2003
DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/5/1/333
Abstract
The plasma crystal experiment PKE-Nefedov, the first basic science experiment on the International Space Station (ISS), was installed in February 2001 by the first permanent crew. It is designed for long-term investigations of complex plasmas under microgravity conditions. `Complex plasmas' contain ions, electrons, neutrals and small solid particles - normally in the micrometre range. These microparticles obtain thousands of elementary charges and interact with each other via a `screened' Coulomb potential. Complex plasmas are of special interest, because they can form liquid and crystalline states (Thomas et al 1994 Phys. Rev. Lett. 73 652-5, Chu and I 1994 Phys. Rev. Lett. 72 4009-12) and are observable at the kinetic level. In experiments on Earth the microparticles are usually suspended against gravity in strong electric fields. This 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 (Morfill et al 1999 Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 1598), experiencing much weaker volume forces than on Earth. This allows investigations of the thermodynamics of strongly coupled plasma states under substantially stress-free conditions. In this first paper we report our results on plasma crystals, in particular the first experimental observations of bcc lattice structures.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- PKE-Nefedov: plasma crystal experiments on the International Space Station
- Creators
- Anatoli P Nefedov - Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian#N#Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, RussiaGregor E Morfill - Max Planck SocietyVladimir E Fortov - Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian#N#Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, RussiaHubertus M Thomas - Max Planck SocietyHermann Rothermel - Max Planck SocietyTanja Hagl - Max Planck SocietyAlexei V Ivlev - Max Planck SocietyMilenko Zuzic - Max Planck SocietyBoris A Klumov - Max Planck SocietyAndrey M Lipaev - Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian#N#Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, RussiaVladimir I Molotkov - Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian#N#Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, RussiaOleg F Petrov - Institute for High Energy Densities, Russian#N#Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, RussiaYuri P Gidzenko - Y Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Centre, 141160#N#Star City, Moscow Region, RussiaSergey K Krikalev - SP Korolev RSC Energia, Korolev 141070,#N#Moscow Region, RussiaWilliam Shepherd - Expedition (United Kingdom)Alexandr I Ivanov - SP Korolev RSC Energia, Korolev 141070,#N#Moscow Region, RussiaMaria Roth - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)Horst Binnenbruck - Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR)John A Goree - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University#N#of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USAYuri P Semenov - SP Korolev RSC Energia, Korolev 141070,#N#Moscow Region, Russia
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- New journal of physics, Vol.5, 33
- DOI
- 10.1088/1367-2630/5/1/333
- ISSN
- 1367-2630
- eISSN
- 1367-2630
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/22/2003
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984199932002771
Metrics
20 Record Views