Dr. Anton Kananovich recently published a paper with colleagues S. Jaiswal, Connor Belt, and E. M. Aguirre
In this study, we explored dusty plasma - a unique state of matter consisting of common plasma elements (such as electrons and ions) mixed with macroscopic particles. These "dusty" particles are visible to the naked eye and move slowly enough to be tracked by video cameras, unlike atoms in typical solids or liquids. By altering the electrical environment around these particles, we observed a fascinating change: part of our plasma crystal became liquid while the rest remained solid. This transformation, visible in real time, provides an exciting window into understanding how materials change from one state to another, a process that is common in everyday life (such as ice melting into water). Our findings could shed light on fundamental processes in physics and may have practical applications in various technologies. -A.Kananovich
