Dr. Lorin Matthews
Associate Professor of Physics
and
Dr. Truell Hyde
Professor of Physics; Director of CASPER; and Vice Provost for Research
Theoretical and Experimental Investigation
of Dusty Plasma Processes
Or
Growth of Cosmic Dust Bunnies in Captivity
and the Wild
Microscopic processes occurring within a system determine its macroscopic, collective behavior. Dusty plasmas provide a system that exhibits effects which are interesting at both the microscopic and macroscopic levels. In many cases, the basic physics underlying these processes is not yet fully understood.
Members of CASPER’s Hypervelocity Impacts and Dusty Plasma Lab (HIDPL), Space Science Lab (SSL) and Astrophysics and Space Science Theory Group (ASSTG) work closely together. A variety of experimental dusty plasma systems is complemented by a suite of numerical simulations which model the plasma in the experimental cell, charging of dust in a variety of plasma environments, interaction of the dust with the plasma, dust/dust interactions, dust coagulation, and the direct measurement of dust in low earth orbit.
This talk will give an overview of the new and continuing experiments being conducted in the lab, as well as the numerical models which are in use and being developed. We’ll also present some of the mysterious behavior observed in experiment which has yet to be modeled or understood.
For more information contact: Dr. Linda Olafsen 254-710-2541
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