In News
- Recently, the scientists from India and the UK have deciphered the physics behind the solar plasma jets through computer simulations and lab experiments.
Major Findings
- The study led by researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru performed laboratory experiments
- The scientists observed how paint placed over bass audio speakers ejected as a forest of jets when a certain sound frequency and amplitude (speaker’s loudness) were surpassed.
- They found that the physics underlying paint jets when excited on a speaker is analogous to the solar plasma jets.
What are Solar Jets or Spicules?
- Solar Plasma jets/ Spicules are powerful plasma streams that the Sun’s chromosphere (atmospheric layer above the Sun’s visible surface) constantly eject.
- These jet streams are influenced by the Sun’s gravity, 20 times that of Earth and constantly rise and fall back. Some jets are so energetic that they propel into the solar corona and beyond.
- These jets, or spicules, appear as thin grass-like plasma structures that constantly shoot up from the surface and are then brought down by gravity.
- The amount of energy and momentum that these spicules can carry is of fundamental interest in solar and plasma astrophysics.
- The processes by which plasma is supplied to the solar wind, and the solar atmosphere is heated to a million degrees Celsius, still remain a puzzle.
Image: Structure of Sun
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Plasma: The Fourth State of Matter
- It is the fourth state of matter consisting of electrically charged particles that occur just about everywhere in the sun’s chromosphere, which is the atmospheric layer just above the Sun’s visible surface.
- It is a mixture of negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions. It is also defined as ionised matter.
- The state consists of super energetic and super excited particles. These particles are in the form of ionised gases.
- It is formed when high voltage or temperature knocks off the outermost electrons from an atom, which in turn knocks off electrons in the neighbouring atoms.
- Mostly plasmas are formed at very high temperatures but scientists can also produce plasmas at low temperatures.
- The fluorescent tube and neon sign bulbs consist of plasma.
- The plasma glows with a special colour depending on the nature of gas
Uses of Plasma
- Micro-plasma welding is a method which is used to join paper thin sheets of metals, which is extensively used in the manufacture of stainless steel water storage tanks and other kitchen implements.
- Plasma spray is the only process that enables us to coat any material on to any other one:
- Metal on to metal: titanium on to steel, to prevent corrosion.
- Metal on to non-metal: copper on to porcelain, used in capacitors.
- Non-metal on to metal: alumina on to stainless steel, to reduce wear and tear on stainless steel.
- Non-metal on to non-metal: Teflon on to ceramics, to prevent corrosion by acids.
- Cold plasmas are used in sterilisers and hand-washers. The cool plasma is used to cure human fungal infections.
- Healing Plasma: The high temperature plasmas are being deployed to destroy toxic hospital and organic waste, so plasmas are helping heal the Earth. Plasmas are also used to make plastics attract or repel liquids, which is used in printers.
- The Institute of Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar is trying to unravel the properties of plasma because of its potential to aid power generation from nuclear fusion, where two atoms are fused together and the energy they release can be used to generate electricity.
- Neon in its plasma form is used for lighting.
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Source:IE
