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Astrophysics & Plasma Group | |
| If we increse the temperature of a gas beyond a certain limit, it does not remain a gas: it enters a regime where the electrostatic forces are overcome. Instead of a hot neutral gas we have two commingled populations composed of oppositely charged particles. This is a PLASMA, and it is neither solid, liquid nor gas. | |
| Interplanetary Space
The plasma state can be said to dominate the visible universe. Earth is surrounded by the magnetosphere. |
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| Solar Physics
This is a plasma system formed by the interaction of the Earth's magnetic field, with the flow of plasma coming from the sun (the solar wind). |
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| Astronomy & Astrophysics
The sun is made of plasma, and so are most stars. |
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| Laboratory Plasmas
On Earth, plasma occur naturally only in lightning and the aurora, however it is produced in laboratory for a wide range of industrial applications, mainly to achieve the thermonuclear fusion. |
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| Complex Systems
Plasma is a complex system, so that each even small perturbations rapidly modify the whole system. |
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| Numerical Simulations
To investigate physical properties, we use simplified models and numerical simulations, which represent the main source of information to have informations on some plasma configurations. |
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