Decharging of complex plasmas: first kinetic observations

The first experiment on the decharging of a complex plasma in microgravity conditions was conducted. After switching off the rf power, in the afterglow plasma, ions and electrons rapidly recombine and leave a cloud of charged microparticles. Because of microgravity, the particles remain suspended in the experimental chamber for a sufficiently long time, allowing precise measurements of the rest particle charge. A simple theoretical model for the decharging is proposed which agrees quite well with the experiment results and predicts the rest charge at lower gas pressures.     

Experimental observation of Coulomb ordered structure in sprays of thermal dusty plasmas

A macroscopic Coulomb-ordered structure of polydisperse CeO₂ particles is observed experimentally in a laminar spray of weakly ionized thermal plasma under atmospheric pressure and temperature of about 1700 K. Diagnostic instruments are used to measure plasma parameters. The particles are charged positively and carry about 10³ electron charges. The calculated values of Coulomb coupling parameter γ_p is > 120, corresponding to a strongly coupled plasma. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 3, 176–180 (10 February 1996) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Studying the characteristics of scintillation counters in a beam of relativistic particles

In this work, the results of the measurements of characteristics of 40-cm and 2-m scintillation counters irradiated by a particle beam with a momentum of 7 GeV/c from the accelerator of the Institute for High Energy Physics are presented. The scintillators used in counters are BC-404 and BC-408 scintillators. The counters are viewed from both ends by R1828-01 photomultiplier tubes. The PMT signal spectra are well described by a convolution of the Landau and Gaussian distributions. Their width is determined mainly by fluctuations of ionization energy losses. The time distributions of the signals obey the Gaussian law. For the 40-cm counter, the time resolution is σ(T) = 88 ps; for the 2-m counter, it varies from 120–160 ps in its center to ~100 ps near the end.     

Creation of ordered structures in a classical thermal plasma containing macroparticles: Experiment and computer simulation

We have compared experimental measurements of ordered structures in a thermal plasma containing macroparticles of CeO₂ at atmospheric pressure and a temperature around 1700 K with the results of numerical Monte Carlo calculations for the Yukawa model. We describe several distinctive features of the way the experiments were done, including how the ordered macroparticle structures were detected. We discuss a theoretical model of the behavior of an equilibrium system of charged macroparticles in a plasma and the effective interaction potential between them. Good agreement between the experimental and numerical results is noted, and possible reasons for the observed discrepancies are discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 889–902 (March 1997)     

Ordered structures in a nonideal dusty glow-discharge plasma

The formation of ordered structures of charged macroparticles in a constant-current neon glow-discharge plasma is investigated. Experiments were performed with two types of particles: thin-walled glass spheres 50–63 μm in diameter and particles of Al₂O₃, 3–5 μm in diameter. Formation of quasicrystalline structures is observed in the standing strata and in an artificially created double electric layer. The formation of extended filamentary structures of macroparticles in the absence of visible stratification of the positive column has been observed for the first time. The influence of the discharge parameters on the formation of the ordered structures and their melting is examined. The form of the interaction potential between the charged macroparticles is considered, as well as changes in the conditions for maintaining the discharge in the presence of high concentrations of dust particles. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 2030–2044 (December 1997)     

First observation of electrorheological plasmas

We report the experimental discovery of "electrorheological (ER) complex plasmas," where the control of the interparticle interaction by an externally applied electric field is due to distortion of the Debye spheres that surround microparticles (dust) in a plasma. We show that interactions in ER plasmas under weak ac fields are mathematically equivalent to those in conventional ER fluids. Microgravity experiments, as well as molecular dynamics simulations, show a phase transition from an isotropic to an anisotropic (string) plasma state as the electric field is increased.     

Observation of exotic meson production in the reaction pi- p --> eta'pi- p at 18 GeV/c

An amplitude analysis of an exclusive sample of 5765 events from the reaction pi- p-->eta'pi- p at 18 GeV/c is described. The eta'pi- production is dominated by natural parity exchange and by three partial waves: those with J(PC) = 1(-+), 2(++), and 4(++). A mass-dependent analysis of the partial-wave amplitudes indicates the production of the a2(1320) meson as well as the a4(2040) meson, observed for the first time decaying to eta'pi-. The dominant, exotic (non- qq) 1(-+) partial wave is shown to be resonant with a mass of 1.597+/-0.010(+0.045)(-0.010) GeV/c2 and a width of 0.340+/-0.040+/-0.050 GeV/c2. This exotic state, the pi1(1600), is produced with a t dependence which is different from that of the a2(1320) meson, indicating differences between the production mechanisms for the two states.