To study the behaviour of plasmas is of profound importance to\u00a0 understand phenomena in\u00a0 space and their possible impact on the global environment.\u00a0 Some understanding can be gained by observing the phenomena by radars, rockets and satellites.\u00a0 The improvement of such observational techniques\u00a0 has opened up possibilities to observe small \u2013scale plasma phenomena in space. It has also increased the awareness that the plasma physics underpinning the small-scale\u00a0 phenomena must be understood in order to understand the big picture of the ionosphere and its interaction with the Earth\u2019s atmosphere, the magnetosphere and the solar wind plasma.\u00a0 The improved resolution <\/i>of space observations and laboratory diagnostics also improve the possibility to more directly compare the observations with controlled laboratory experiments.<\/i><\/p>\n
The Aurolab facilitates plasma experiments relevant to space phenomena. With the\u00a0\u00a0<\/i>Njord<\/i><\/b> <\/a>device we focus on acceleration, flows and beams in weakly magnetized, low-temperature plasmas. Under certain conditions, nonlinear potential drops and ion beams may be formed. Recently, energetic electrons associated with the ion beams have been studied in greater detail. These phenomena are of specific relevance to auroral plasmas, which can be created by plasma particles flowing along the magnetic lines into the polar ionosphere.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n The research on the\u00a0 <\/i>Menja<\/i><\/b><\/a> device focus on energy distributions in ECR ** plasmas, as well as on instabilities and ion heating in such plasmas. Recently, a new vacuum vessel and ECR plasma source have been installed, in order to facilitate ion propulsion studies.<\/i><\/p>\n A space simulation chamber (SSC<\/strong><\/a>), originally hosted by the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, has been reassembled and refurbished with a new pump system. A Kaufmann plasma source to create a flowing plasma environment has been installed and investigated. The SSC will offer possibilities to test and develop rocket instrumentation in appropriate vacuum and space plasma parameters in collaboration with scientists working from And\u00f8ya Rocket Range. Projects concerning arcing and surface-plasma interactions is also pursued.<\/p>\n ** ECR = electron cyclotron resonance,\u00a0 which can be used to heat electrons and create a plasma by propagating a strong wave into a region where electrons gyrate in a magnetic field with the same frequency as the frequency of the wave.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To study the behaviour of plasmas is of profound importance to\u00a0 understand phenomena in\u00a0 space and their possible impact on the global environment.\u00a0 Some understanding can be gained by observing the phenomena by radars, rockets and satellites.\u00a0 The improvement of … Continue reading