[...] PK-4 is a collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Russian State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" to investigate complex plasmas. Complex or dusty plasmas contain electrons, ions and neutral gas, as well as microparticles such as dust grains. The microparticles become highly charged in the plasma and interact strongly with each other, which can lead to liquid or even crystalline behavior within the complex plasma. The most important property of such a system is that investigations of physical phenomena can be performed on the individual (micro-) particle level allowing new insights into fluid and solid-state physics.
[...] In the experiment, a microparticle cloud drifted in a plasma with a constant direct current and formed self-excited wave patterns. After that, the discharge polarity was reversed. Although the field strength was nearly identical for both discharge polarities, the wave patterns exhibited bifurcations: A new wave crest formed between the two old crests in the head of the microparticle cloud.
"The most interesting finding was the velocity of these waves strongly depends on the electric field, which is exciting the waves," said Mikhail Pustylnik, an author on the paper. "We expect to encounter these types of waves in astrophysical situations where you might have dust -- in a cometary tail, for example."
"Many plasma processes are also used in the semiconductor industry," Pustylnik said. Dust poses big challenges for the semiconductor industry because particles may damage a silicon wafer during manufacturing. Starting this fall, the researchers are planning additional experiments that will vary the range of electric fields by switching the polarity of the discharge.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:03PM (8 children)
The traditional theory for comets predicted a coma composed of relatively large particles of debris blown off due to off-gassing from a dirty snow ball.
The Electric Universe predicted fine dust due to electric-discharge surface machining of an asteroid-like rock.
Guess who was right?
(Score: 3, Informative) by bob_super on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:18PM (5 children)
Second time today that I miss the "we get it, you feel strongly about some unpopular theory" mod.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:20PM
You should introspect about your patronizing authoritarianism.
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:52PM
You should introspect about your patronizing, paternalistic authoritarianism.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:12PM
Second time today that I miss the "we get it, you feel strongly about some unpopular theory" mod.
It's definitely not a Theory. I question whether it's even a Hypothesis.
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:21PM (1 child)
You should introspect about your patronizing, paternalistic authoritarianism.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:28PM
You should introspect about your amazing devotion to come post useless redundant things every 30 minutes.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @05:26PM (1 child)
Traditional theory predicts two tails. Electric Universe doesn't.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 14 2018, @06:00PM
Not only does the Electric Universe predict an ion tail (ions are a natural product of electrical phenomena), but it also predicts the patterns that are formed; the ions are directed into coherent filaments that reveal multi-million-km Birkeland currents in the "vacuum" of space. Other puzzling phenomena about comets are also explained; look it up.
(Score: 2) by SomeGuy on Tuesday August 14 2018, @07:28PM (1 child)
Translation: Researchers aboard the ISS have nothing better to do than watch dust.
Their next project will involve paint drying.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Wednesday August 15 2018, @09:24AM
What do you want them to do while falling?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford