Erlangen 2026 – scientific programme

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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik

P 16: Poster Session Plasma Physics

P 16.52: Poster

Thursday, March 19, 2026, 13:45–15:45, Redoutensaal

Dust particle dynamics in a pulsed discharge in microgravity — •Christina A. Knapek, Daniel P. Mohr, Stefan Schütt, Daniel Maier, and Andre Melzer — Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany

The charge of micrometer-sized particles immersed in a low-temperature plasma is determined mainly by the electron temperature. If the plasma is operated in a pulsed mode, it is partially in temporal afterglow, and the time-averaged electron temperature decreases. This is expected to impact the particle charge, as well as observable interactions and particle dynamics.

Experiments were performed as part of a parabolic flight campaign with the Zyflex chamber, a versatile plasma chamber designed for the future microgravity complex plasma facility COMPACT. Particles were injected into the plasma during the microgravity phase, while the plasma source, a four-channel radio-frequency generator connected to four separate electrodes, was operated in a pulsed mode. Different operation scenarios were applied (e.g. random successive pulsing of the four channels). One operation mode introduced "off"-times, during which the plasma was in the temporal afterglow for a short while. First experimental results of the impact of the pulsed mode on particle dynamics, and complementary plasma diagnostic measurements are presented.

This work was and is funded by DLR/BMWi (FKZ 50WM2161, 50WM2561).

Keywords: complex plasma; pulsed plasma; microgravity research