The DC-Plasma Experiment (also known as the “Soup Pot”) is used to study a number of phenomena related to wave propagation in plasmas. A hot tungsten cathode provides a source of electrons to excite a plasma in the device, and then a grid antenna is used to launch waves in the plasma. Multiple species of gas can be introduced at the same time to investigate the effects of different kinds of ions (hydrogen, helium, argon, etc…) on wave propagation and dispersion.
Scientific Topics Addressed: Ion Sound Waves, Landau Damping
Diagnostics Used: Langmuir Probes, Pressure Gauges, Flow Meters