Collaborative Research: Advancing the Physics of Magnetized Dusty Plasmas

合作研究：推进磁化尘埃等离子体物理学

• 批准号: 1613087
• 负责人: Edward Thomas
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: Auburn University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-08-15 至 2019-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1613087&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Advancing; Physics; Magnetized

This project will study the basic physics of the interaction of strong magnetic fields with dusty (or complex) plasmas, which are four-component systems consisting of the usual plasma constituents of electrons, ions, and neutral atoms with the addition of a third charged component - nanometer to micrometer sized solid particulates; i.e., "dust". Almost all naturally-occurring plasmas contain dust, from planetary rings, to the charged ices that form noctilucent clouds high in the Earth's atmosphere, to the presence of dust in star- and planet-forming regions. Current work on the formation and control of nanometer-sized particles in industrial plasmas has also led to improved techniques for materials synthesis, which may have long term societal benefit. Nonetheless, there are many aspects of dusty plasma research that remain untapped. One such area is the role of magnetic fields. Because the constituent particles of a dusty plasma are charged, it means that their dynamics can be modified and controlled by magnetic fields. However, this requires the production of large, steady state magnetic fields, and only with the recent advancements in superconducting technologies has it become possible to build devices capable of the experimental conditions required to explore the physics of magnetized dusty plasmas. This opens up new and exciting research opportunities for dusty plasma research to access experimental regimes that allow investigations with both astrophysical and technological relevance.This study, which is a collaboration between experimental research at Auburn University and the University of Iowa, and theoretical research at the University of California - San Diego, will investigate the detailed physics that describes the coupling between the plasma, magnetic fields and the charged dust. Investigations will be centered on the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) - a recently commissioned multi-user, multi-configuration, high magnetic field device located at Auburn University. Three main topics will be investigated: (1) the direct influence of the magnetic field on the properties of the charged microparticles; (2) the formation of self-organized and newly discovered imposed ordered states in the magnetized plasma; and (3) the generation of new types of collective phenomena (waves and instabilities) that occur in magnetized plasmas. This project will support the training of undergraduate and graduate student researchers at the partner institutions. Through collaborations, additional research opportunities will be provided for domestic and international graduate students to make use of the MDPX device to further their research. Further research partnerships with colleagues at universities, national laboratories, and international institutions will be established to broaden the user community who seek to use the MDPX device for both dusty plasma and basic plasma research projects.

该项目将研究强磁场与尘埃（或复杂）等离子体相互作用的基本物理原理，尘埃（或复杂）等离子体是由电子、离子和中性原子等常见等离子体成分组成的四组分系统，并添加了第三种带电组分- 纳米至微米尺寸的固体颗粒；即“灰尘”。几乎所有自然产生的等离子体都含有尘埃，从行星环到在地球大气层高处形成夜光云的带电冰，再到恒星和行星形成区域中存在的尘埃。 目前在工业等离子体中纳米尺寸颗粒的形成和控制方面的工作也导致了材料合成技术的改进，这可能具有长期的社会效益。 尽管如此，尘埃等离子体研究还有许多方面尚未开发。其中之一就是磁场的作用。由于尘埃等离子体的组成粒子是带电的，这意味着它们的动力学可以通过磁场来改变和控制。然而，这需要产生大的稳态磁场，并且只有随着超导技术的最新进展，才有可能建造能够满足探索磁化尘埃等离子体物理所需实验条件的设备。这为尘埃等离子体研究开辟了新的、令人兴奋的研究机会，以获取能够进行天体物理和技术相关性研究的实验机制。这项研究是奥本大学和爱荷华大学的实验研究与爱荷华大学的理论研究之间的合作加州大学圣地亚哥分校将研究描述等离子体、磁场和带电灰尘之间耦合的详细物理学。调查将集中在磁化尘埃等离子体实验（MDPX）上，这是位于奥本大学最近委托使用的多用户、多配置、高磁场设备。 将研究三个主要课题：（1）磁场对带电微粒性质的直接影响； (2)在磁化等离子体中形成自组织和新发现的强加有序态； （3）磁化等离子体中出现的新型集体现象（波和不稳定性）的产生。该项目将支持合作机构本科生和研究生研究人员的培训。通过合作，将为国内外研究生提供更多研究机会，利用 MDPX 设备进一步开展研究。将与大学、国家实验室和国际机构的同事建立进一步的研究合作伙伴关系，以扩大寻求将 MDPX 设备用于尘埃等离子体和基础等离子体研究项目的用户群体。