Research activities in the Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (MPRL)

The Magnetized Plasma Research Laboratory (MPRL) at Auburn University explores a wide range of plasma phenomena and complex/dusty plasmas covering the unique parameter regime of high magnetic fields (up to 4 T), but at relatively low electron (Te  < 10 eV) and ion temperatures (Ti  < 1 eV).  The centerpiece of the laboratory is the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) device - a highly flexible, high magnetic field (up to 4 T) research instrument with a mission to serve as an open access, multi-user facility for the dusty plasma, basic plasma, and fusion plasma research communities.  Other instruments include ALEXIS, an RF driven magnetized linear plasma device capable of simulating space plasma and basic plasma experiments, and a wide variety of “tabletop” scale devices.  This presentation will summarize the results from a wide variety of recent studies conducted at MPRL, including particle growth at high magnetic field, pattern formation in both background plasmas and dusty plasmas at high magnetic field, controlling dust charging and dust dynamics by externally applied UV light and the impact of charged dust on the propagation of driven low frequency, electrostatic fluctuations in magnetized plasma.