Plasma Crystal Experiment and Science on the ISS

In November, the Plasma Crystal experiment was terminated on the ISS. Special equipment for the experiment was placed in the cargo ship "Albert Einstein" and burned with him over the Pacific Ocean. So ended a long story, probably the most famous space experiment. I want to talk about it and a little bit to talk about science on the ISS as a whole.

Where are the discoveries?

First of all, you need to make a somewhat demotivating intro. Modern science is not a computer game, where, in principle, there is no useless research, and each discovery gives a noticeable bonus. And, alas, there have passed times when a lone genius like Edison could alone invent many radically life-changing devices. Now science is a systematic movement blindly in all available ways, which is carried out by large organizations, lasts for years and can lead to zero results. Therefore, information about research on the ISS, which is published regularly , without adaptation in the popular science look, to be honest, is very boring. At the same time, some of these experiments are really interesting, and, if they do not promise us instant fairy-tale results, they give hope for a better understanding of how the world works, and where to go for new fundamental and applied discoveries.

The idea of ​​the experiment

It is known that a substance can exist in four phase states — solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma. Plasma is 99.9% of the mass of the Universe, ranging from stars to interstellar gas. On Earth, plasma is lightning, aurora borealis and, for example, gas-discharge lamps. Plasma containing dust particles is also quite common - these are planetary rings, cometary tails, interstellar clouds. And the idea of ​​the experiment was to create artificial plasma with microparticles of dust and to observe its behavior under the conditions of earth gravity and microgravity.


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In the first variant of the experiment (in the picture) the ampoule with dusty plasma was illuminated by the rays of the Sun, the dust in the plasma illuminated the laser, and the illuminated area was filmed on the camera. Later more complex experimental installations were used. The Black Barrel, burned down along with Albert Einstein, was the installation of the third generation.

results

Experiments in the conditions of microgravity justified the hopes of scientists - dusty plasma structure became crystalline or showed properties of liquids. Unlike an ideal gas, in which molecules move chaotically (see thermal motion ), dusty plasma, being a gas, exhibits the properties of solid and liquid bodies — melting and evaporation are possible.
At the same time, there were unexpected discoveries. For example, a cavity could appear in a crystal. Why - is still unknown.

But the most unexpected discovery was that the dusty plasma under certain conditions formed spiral structures similar to DNA! Perhaps even the origin of life on Earth is somehow related to dusty plasma.

Perspectives

The results of many years of research on the Plasma Crystal experiment show the fundamental possibility of:

• Dust plasma formations of nanomaterials with unique properties.
• The deposition of materials from dusty plasma on the substrate and the production of new types of coatings - multilayer, porous, composite.
• Air purification from industrial and radiation emissions and plasma etching of microcircuits.
• Plasma sterilization of non-living objects and open wounds on living beings.

Unfortunately, all this beauty will be available no earlier than ten years from now. Because according to the results of the work it is necessary to build experimental applied installations, prototypes, conduct tests or clinical studies, organize mass production.

Additional materials

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

• The third series "Space Odyssey, Century XXI". Unique video frames. About "Plasma Crystal" talk with 8:50
  
• An article in "Science and Life."
• Very detailed description of the experiment. It will be difficult for non-physicists.
• An article on the "Membrane" about DNA-like structures in dusty plasma.
• Another description of the experiment.

And another science?

"Plasma Crystal" is completed, however, new experiments on the ISS begin regularly. Probably the most recent one is the “Virtual” experiment, which studies the processes occurring with eyes in weightlessness. There are experiments that have been going on every day for many years and will continue in the same way. These include "Hurricane" - the study of the occurrence and prediction of catastrophic meteorological phenomena, "Seiner" - the search for fish from space, or "Endurance" - the study of what happens with materials exhibited in a vacuum. During the current expedition it is planned to carry out 600 works on 43 experiments. Thanks to TV Roskosmos, the release of the program "Astronautics" on November 23, they devoted a story about science on the ISS:



Probably, in a sense, the ISS is a geek's dream. A sort of hybrid garage, laboratory and hotel. When you repair the toilet in the morning, you pull the LAN cable during the spacewalk during the day, and in the evening you move the fundamental science. And our beautiful Earth in the porthole ...