Plasma Kristall-3 Plus

Plasma crystals are a new kind of matter, rediscovered in 1994. They form under certain conditions in a complex (dusty) plasma. There, the electrically charged dust particles arrange in a regular macroscopic crystal lattice. This structure allows for an investigation of the properties of condensed matter on the kinetic level. This means that basic processes, such as melting, can be followed by observing the motion of individual particles. PK-3 will give investigators a better understanding of plasma in space and will determine the critical points for the plasma.

Gravity plays an important role for the structure of plasma crystals. In microgravity large 3-dimensional plasma crystals can be grown and studied in detail on the most fundamental, the kinetic level. Complex plasmas can be seen as model systems for the investigation of fundamental phenomena in liquids and crystals and provide information on the motion of single particles (“atoms”). This provides new insights into the field of condensed matter.