Parabolic Flight Campaign ESA 31

October 10-18, 2001, Bordeaux (F)

Data and results

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Image: >>Novespace

Working aboard A300 Zero-G

Fly a parabola with us and enjoy the view from
the window! Insets show the gravity conditions.
(Video: MPEG (4.4MB), DivX (15.1MB))

The plasma crystal experimenters during the
micro-g phase.
(Video: MPEG (8.5MB))

Micro-particles in the plasma

Two types of particel sizes; big void; unstable. (Video: MPEG (4.4MB), DivX (5.3MB))	Big, stable crystal; two types of particle sizes (Video: MPEG (7.5MB), DivX (7.9MB))
Large void; few particles at the void boundary. (Video: MPEG (1.0MB), DivX (3.8MB))

Some results of the parabolic flight campaign

The larger the electrodes the more homogeneous the electric field and the better the plasma crystal. The optimum diameter was found to be 7 cm with the given plasma chamber dimension.
Particle dispensers on the side work as well as dispensers integrated into the electrodes but they don't disturb the electric field, which is an advantage.
Das Void wird nicht von der Menge der Teilchen erzeugt. Auch geringe Partikelmengen zeigen den Rand des Voids auf, z.T. in einer Monolage.

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Photographs courtesy of Uwe Konopka and Michael Kretschmer

Updated: 2007-03-30
Contact: Michael Kretschmer