Plasma Kristall

This ESA project is investigating complex (dusty) plasmas — ionized gases produced by high temperatures or strong electric fields, which contain other microparticles such as dust. The presence of microparticles influences the interactions between the molecules in the plasma, making them useful to study the fundamental properties of plasmas. However, on Earth, gravity distorts these interactions, so microgravity allows a clearer understanding of these interactions. These kinds of plasmas are of high scientific interest as researchers want to investigate the microscopic and macroscopic properties of complex plasmas in microgravity and investigate the liquid phase and flow phenomena of these unusual substances. Dusty plasmas help us understand the interactions of matter in space (e.g. in Saturn's rings). These plasmas are related to the formation of unusual high altitude noctilucent clouds and can affect the manufacturing of silicon wafers for semiconductors and silicon chips, which helps understand broad applications across a range of industries.

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