Plasma, often referred to as the fourth state of matter, is an ionized gas composed of positively charged ions and free electrons, which gives it unique electrical conductivity properties. Unlike solids, liquids, and gases, plasma does not naturally exist on Earth under normal conditions and must be generated by adding energy to a gas, such as by heating it to extreme temperatures or applying a strong electromagnetic field. Plasma is abundant in the universe, making up the majority of stars, including the sun, and is present in phenomena such as lightning and the auroras. On Earth, plasma has practical applications in various technologies, including neon signs, plasma TVs, and medical instruments for sterile processing. It is also crucial in advanced research fields, such as thermonuclear fusion, where scientists aim to harness the same reactions that power the sun as a potent and clean energy source.
Exhaust heat from commercial-scale fusion reactors might be less damaging than previously believed. New research indicates that plasma fusion heat spreads more evenly in tokamak…
What Is Plasma? Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter, alongside gases, liquids, and solids. While most people don’t think about plasma…
Scientists Achieve New Energy Record for Next-Generation Proton Accelerators The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has made a significant advance in laser plasma acceleration. By employing an…
Researchers successfully simulate a novel combination method for managing fusion plasma. In their ongoing quest to develop a range of methods for managing plasma so…
Thanks to a new design contributed by a research team led by Prof. Zhao Peng from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of Chinese Academy…
Caltech’s plasma jet experiments led by Paul Bellan reveal novel electron behaviors, contributing to understanding solar flares and fusion energy. For around 20 years, Caltech…
New Model of Quark-Gluon Plasma Solves a Long-Standing Discrepancy Between Theory and Data Researchers from Japan provide a novel theoretical framework for describing the quark-gluon…
A groundbreaking experiment offers new insights into the potential mechanism that could seed magnetic fields for the galactic dynamo. The Science Plasma is a state…
A researcher at Tohoku University has made significant improvements to a high-power electrodeless plasma thruster, bringing us closer to deeper space exploration. These advancements in…
First-of-its-kind experimental evidence contradicts traditional theories about the emission and absorption of radiation by plasmas. While solids, liquids, and gases are familiar states of matter,…
For the first time, scientists were successful at driving at a thousand shots per second a so-called plasma mirror in the relativistic regime, i.e. with…
Converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and producing fuels, fertilizers on the red planet using a plasma-based method. A plasma-based way to produce and separate oxygen…
First experimental measurement of pure electron outflows associated with magnetic reconnection driven by electron dynamics in laser-produced plasmas. Magnetic reconnections in laser-produced plasmas have been…
Scientists simulate a perplexing explosive process that occurs throughout the universe. Mysterious fast radio bursts are among the most perplexing phenomena in the universe, releasing…
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have created an efficient computer algorithm to model the crazy-quilt movement of free electrons…
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have uncovered a process in the swirling masses of plasma surrounding black…
Plasma-based rocket designed for deep space exploration lasts longer and generates high power. The increased interest in deep-space travel has necessitated the development of powerful,…
What Are High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas? High energy density (HED) laboratory plasmas are perhaps the most extreme states of matter ever produced on Earth….