Development of a Plasma Module for Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (Report on Activities of the Research Team in 2011)

The dusty (complex or fine particle) plasma research for observing critical phenomena is going on with cooperation of the PK-3 plus flight module between scientific teams of Germany and Russia. In the project, uniformity of plasma comes to be a project to obtain uniform and large dust cloud. Generally, plasmas have many possibilities for material synthesis as well as for dusty plasmas. The team aims to develop well-controlled “multi-purpose-plasmas” for multi-purpose small payload rack with learning succession of the PK-3 plus flight module and achievements of Japanese plasma processing society. The diagnostics of plasmas has been tried with a microwave resonator (so-called, frequency shift or hairpin probe) for electron density measurement in PK-3 plus chamber. In 2011, the results of the measurement were examined by using another method of double probe. The optical emissions were observed for developing methods of diagnostics in the plasmas including the dust particles, which were disturbed by using the probes. Key words; plasma, complex plasma, fine particle plasma, dusty plasma, multi-purpose small payload rack, Japanese Experiment Module “KIBO” Acknowledgements KT thanks Prof. G. E. Morfill and colleagues of MPE and JIHT for giving opportunities to access the experimental apparatus of PK-3 plus and to have several experiences of missions on the ISS. If it were not for the supports and experiences, this research team would not be authorized in the committee for space environment utilization of JAXA.