Experiment "Plasma Crystal" and science on the ISS

Where is the opening? H5>
First of all, you need to make a few discourages entry. Modern science - it is not a computer game, where, in principle, there is no useless research, and each discovery provides a significant bonus. And, alas, gone are the days when the genius of a single type of Edison could one naizobretat many life changes dramatically devices. Now science - is the systematic movement blindly across all available paths, which carried large organizations, lasts for years and can lead to zero results. Therefore, information on research on the ISS, which is regularly published , without adaptation to scientific and popular form of looks, frankly, very boring. At the same time, some of these experiments are really interesting, and, if not promise us a fabulous instant results, give hope to improve understanding of how the world works, and where we go for new fundamental and applied discoveries.

The idea of ​​the experiment h5>
It is known that the substance can be in four phase states - solid, liquid, gas and plasma. Plasma - is 99, 9% of the mass of the universe, from stars and ending with the interstellar gas. On Earth, the plasma - is lightning, northern lights and, for example, gas-discharge lamps. Plasma containing dust particles is also very common - a planetary rings, comet tails, interstellar clouds. And the idea of ​​the experiment was the artificial creation of plasma microparticles with dust and observing its behavior in terms of the Earth's gravity and microgravity.



In the first variant of the experiment (in the picture) ampoule with dusty plasma was illuminated by sunlight, dust plasma backlit laser and illuminated portion was filmed on camera. In the future, a more complicated experimental setups. "Black Barrel" burned along with the "Albert Einstein" was the installation of the third generation.

Results h5>
Experiments in microgravity met the expectations of scientists - a dusty plasma in its structure becomes crystalline or exhibit the properties of liquids. In contrast to an ideal gas, in which the molecules move randomly (see. тепловое movement ), dusty plasmas, as gas, exhibits the properties of solids and liquids - possible melting and evaporation.
At the same time, and were unexpected discovery. For example, the crystal may occur in the cavity. Why - is still unknown.


But the most surprising finding was that dusty plasma under certain conditions shaped spiral structure, similar to the DNA! Perhaps even the origin of life on Earth is somehow connected with dusty plasmas.

Outlook h5>
The results of years of research on the experiment "Plasma Crystal" show the fundamental possibility:

• The formation in dusty plasmas nanomaterials with unique properties.
• The deposition of material from a dusty plasma to the substrate and produce new types of coatings - multilayer porous composite.
• Air Cleaning from industrial and radiation emission and plasma etching chips.
• plasma sterilization inanimate objects and open wounds on living beings.
  

  Additional Resources h5>
  If you want to learn more about this experiment, I can recommend the following materials:
  

  • The third series of "Space Odyssey, Century XXI». Unique videos. About "Plasma Crystal" talk with 8:50
    
  • An article in "Science and Life».
  • Очень detailed description of the experiment. Non-physicists will obscure.
  • Article on "membranes" about the DNA-like structures in dusty plasmas .
  • Another description of the experiment. < /
    

    And other science? H5>
    "Plasma Crystal" is completed, however, the new experiments on the ISS starting regularly. Probably, the most recent - experiment "Virtual" studying processes occurring with eyes in weightlessness. There are experiments that go every day for many years and will be in the same mode, move on. These include "Hurricane" - the study of the flow of questions and predictions of catastrophic weather events, "Seiner" - find fish from space or "Endurance" - the study of what happens to the materials exhibited in a vacuum. During this expedition is planned for 600 works by 43 experiments. Thanks to TV, "Roskosmos" release program "Space" of November 23, they dedicated a story about science on the ISS:
    
    
    
    Perhaps, in a sense, the ISS - a dream of the boom. A sort of hybrid of the garage, laboratory and hotel. When morning chinish toilet, day pull the network cable to the spacewalk, and in the evening you move the fundamental science. And our beautiful Earth through the porthole ...
    
    Source: habrahabr.ru/post/203460/