Complex Plasmas
Plasma Physics
Introduction
It is now universally agreed that the majority of the universe is composed of dust. As such, most environments both on Earth and in space, contain dust in the form of solid or liquid particles with this cosmic dust crucial to the development of stars, planets and life.
Plasma environments containing millimeter (10-3 m) to nanometer (10-9 m) sized dust particles are usually called complex (or dusty) plasmas. In order to properly understand our Universe requires a fundamental knowledge of dusty plasma physics that can only be attained through an integrated numerical / experimental approach such as the one employed within CASPER
CASPER conducts experimental research in plasma physics within the Hypervelocity Impacts & Dusty Plasmas Lab and numerical and theoretical research within the Astrophysics and Space Science Theory Group across a number of research areas offering both basic research and engineering and design opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.
Areas of Interest
- Cosmic Dust
- Dust on Airless Bodies
- Dust as Probes
- Dynamics of Self-Assembling Dust Structures
- Non-equilibrium Phenomena
- Onset of Turbulence in Dusty Plasma Liquids
- Protoplanetary Development
- Structure of Chondrule Rims
- Visualizing matter
