MRI: Acquisition of Instrumentation for Imaging Plasma Waves and Particles

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This award will support acquisition of laser illumination/high-speed video imaging instruments that will allow for the study of particle motion in 3D particle suspensions and the collective behavior of dusty plasmas, i.e., studies of wave modes, includes frequency components that cannot be resolved with presently available commercial video cameras operating at 30 frames/s. Acquisition of video cameras that can record images at thousands of frames/s will permit detailed studies of dust wave modes that are either self-excited in the plasma or excited at frequencies synchronized by external modulation of discharge parameters. A laser with increased power and stability coupled with an image intensifier and high speed video camera will result in an LIF system with a signal-to-noise ratio that is presently unavailable. This powerful diagnostic will permit multi-point correlation studies of new nonlinear wave structures as well as the detection of linear waves of very small amplitude. The science enabled by this acquisition will have an interdisciplinary impact in other areas of plasma physics, including fusion energy and astrophysics, as well as biotechnology and soft condensed matter. The ability to make more sensitive and detailed measurements will be realized as an increase in the understanding of wave-particle interactions and a more detailed understanding of physics of dusty plasmas and soft condensed matter. The wave-particle interaction problem is a central issue in plasma physics which impacts space and astrophysical plasmas as well as fusion plasmas. Dusty plasmas are ubiquitous in space (Saturn's rings) and astrophysical (planetary nebula) plasmas as well as plasmas used in materials processing. The research enabled by this instrumentation will be conducted as part of the educational mission of the University. This includes MS and PhD thesis research of graduate students and research projects conducted by undergraduate physics students as part of the BS degree requirements. The presence of modern research equipment in laboratories is essential to the ability to attract and retain top students. The PIs maintain collaborative efforts with researchers at undergraduate colleges as well as with colleagues at other universities who are members of underrepresented groups by gender and ethnicity.