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Computational Plasma Physics at the RUB and in Copenhagen
From 22.09. to 24.09.2010 an informal meeting on Computational Plasma Physics between the working group of Prof. Dr. Rainer Grauer and Prof. Dr. Åke Nordlund (Computational Astrophysics) has been held in Copenhagen at the Niels Bohr Institute. In particular, the progress of the use of graphics card clusters in this field was discussed.
On this occasion, Martin Rieke gave an introductory talk on CUDA and solving 2D EMHD equations on graphics cards. Dr. Christian Schwarz reported on his new framework cudaHYPE and its use in parallel solving of 3D MHD equations on a GPU cluster. From the Copenhagen group, Dr. Troels Haugbølle told us about his experiences with PIC (Particle in Cell) simulations on graphics cards.
In Prof. Grauer's talk, he explained strategies for coupling kinetic and fluid systems (Vlasov/MHD coupling). Last in the lecture series, Prof. Nordlund reported on new simulation results in the field of solar physics.
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27.09.2010 - Dr. Sabrina Casanovas Reise zur 32. Erice School
Astrophysical shocks, for instance in supernova remnants (SNRs), are able to accelerate particles to extremely high energies. The leading acceleration mechanism is diffusive shock acceleration. Its efficiency critically depends on the injection of thermal plasma into acceleration which takes place at the subshock of the collisionless shock structure.
The magneto-hydrodynamical (MHD) turbulence confines particles to the shock front controlling their maximum energy. Therefore, the study of the MHD turbulence in a compressive plasma near a shock is a key to understanding the entire process of particle acceleration. In other words the theory of shock acceleration is a new challenge in plasma physics.
Dr. Casanova was invited by the organizers to give an overview talk at the 32nd Erice School (September 16th - 24th, 2010). She held a lecture concerning the gamma ray emission from molecular clouds close to SNRs. In the talk, Dr. Casanova presented the acceleration of particles in the shell of SNRs as well as an investigation of the the gamma ray emission produced by the accelerated particles in the shell of the SNRs and in the vicinity of the SNRs. The latter is a powerful tool to probe the properties of the acceleration mechanism, such as the maximum acceleration energy. During the time of the school, Dr. Casanova participated in the open discussions taking place every day in the early afternoon.
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International Conference on Plasma Medicine (ICPM-3)
The 3rd International Conference for Plasma Medicine has been held in Greifswald, Germany from 19th -24th September, 2010. Almost 200 plasma physics researchers, medical doctors, and people from industry have met there and discussed their work on five following topics: 1) plasma surface modification for biomedical application, 2) plasma sources for medicine, 3) medical aspects and results of plasma in use, 4) plasma cell and plasma tissue interaction, and 5) plasma based sterilization/decontamination. Plasma medicine is a new and rapidly growing research field with great potentials in the applications such as in-vivo treatment of wounds and infected tissues, plasma surgery, or plasma sterilization. The Research Department "Plasmas with Complax Interactions" enabled the visit of members from research teams of Prof. Peter Awakowicz (Fac. of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology), Prof. Achim von Keudell and Jun.-Prof. Jan Benedikt (Fac. of Physics and Astronomy) and Prof. Franz Narberhaus und Jun.-Prof. Julia Bandow (Fac. of Biology and Biotechnology), which are active in this field already for several years. The visitors from RUB have presented with four talks and two posters their results of plasma sterilization with low pressure and atmospheric pressure plasmas.
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Dr. Enno Middelberg auf der Jahrestagung der VLBI Community in Manchester
Dr. Enno Middelberg works as a junior scientist at the Astronomical Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum. His field of work is the investigation of radio sources with Very Long Baseline Interferomerty (VLBI) techniques. A significant fraction of these radio sources at cosmological distances are so-called active galactic nuclei (AGNs), i.e. black holes with collimated outflows of relative plasmas that act as accelerators for cosmic ray particles with the highest known energies. The study of such phenomena is considered the main focus of the astrophysical part of our RD. The work of Mr. Middelberg is therefore complementary to the work at LS TP4, where the theoretical description of the corresponding phenomena is in the foreground.
Applications of VLBI technology at the RUB are new and must be publicized accordingly so that the Ruhr-Universität Bochum is also perceived as a new location in the community. Since there is no other site in Germany outside of Bonn with users of VLBI, a RUB presence here is very significant.
In order to strengthen the international visibility of Dr. Middelberg accordingly, he attended the 10th European VLBI Network Symposium and the EVN Users Meeting "VLBI and the new generation of radio arrays" from September 20 to 24, 2010 with the support of the Research Department "Plasmas with Complex Interactions".
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Jun.-Prof. Julia Becker & Martino Olivo: IceCube meeting in Brussels
Jun.-Prof. Julia Becker and her PhD student Martino Olivo participated in the IceCube meeting in Brussels (Belgium) from September 20-23, 2010. At the IceCube meeting, the progress of the experiment setup, detector simulations, analyses, and the physics underlying the experiment over the last six months was discussed. The IceCube collaboration meets 2 times a year to give the members of the collaboration the opportunity to exchange ideas. In particular, Martino Olivo was able to give a talk on "Gamma ray burst analysis with IceCube-79 data". Here, Mr. Olivo presented the status of his analysis, which he plans to perform with the current configuration of the IceCube detector. Currently IceCube has 79 detector strings, in the final configuration, which will be completed in February 2011, IceCube will consist of 86 detector strings.
Furthermore, a collaboration with Prof. Francis Halzen could be intensified at the conference. A possible publication on the topic "Cosmic rays from massive binary systems" was discussed at the IceCube meeting.
Furthermore, the interests of the Research Department within the IceCube collaboration could be represented at the meetings of the Collaboration Board by Jun-Prof Julia Becker.
Jun-Prof Julia Becker also participated in the meetings of the Publication Committee of the IceCube Collaboration, where upcoming publications within the IceCube Collaboration were discussed.
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Jun.-Prof. Julia Becker bei der Tagung der Astronomischen Gesellschaft in Bonn
At the annual meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft in Bonn (September 13-17, 2010), astronomers active in Germany met to discuss the current state of research. A total of about 350 people participated in the meeting. In lectures the current state and future projects of astronomy were discussed. In particular, a poster on "Hadronic signatures from GRBs with extra components at high energies" was presented by the traveler. The physics of particle acceleration and interaction in the highly relativistic plasmas of Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) were discussed with a wide variety of scientists, such as Prof. Kowalski and Dr. Elsässer, at the meeting. Furthermore, the interests of the Research Department were represented at the meeting of the Council of Observatories on September 13.
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Jun.-Prof. Julia Becker beim NOW2010
Recent results in the field of neutrino physics were presented at the "NOW 2010" conference (September 04-11, 2010). In particular, the applicant was invited by the organizers to co-chair the session "Messengers of the Universe" with Prof. Spurio. Within the framework of this activity, internationally renowned speakers were invited to give lectures, with whom the latest results in the field of high-energy neutrino astronomy could be extensively discussed at the conference. Furthermore, the applicant gave a talk on the topic "Status of the IceCube Experiment". Here the status of the IceCube Experiment regarding the detection of neutrinos from astrophysical plasmas was presented. A review paper on "Messengers of the Universe", which will be published in the journal " Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.)", is currently in preparation together with Prof. Spurio. In another article, also for publication in "Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.)", the results of the IceCube experiment will be presented. Jun.-Prof. Julia Becker had an invited talk and chair function.
(Note: The conference logo is specially designed by a local artist for each year).
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Computational Plasma Physics
The PostGraduate School "Computational Plasma Physics" of FOR1048 and the Research Department Plasmas with Complex Interactions has been held from September 6 to 9, 2010 at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
The number of participants is limited to 30.
http://compschool2010.tp1.ruhr-uni-bochum.de
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08.09.2010 - Beilei Du bei Prof. Nader Sadeghi an der Joseph Fourier Universität
Vom 5.7.2010 bis 3.9.2010 besuchte Beilei Du (Institute für Plasma- und Atomphysik) Prof. Nader Sadeghi am Laboratoire de Spectrométrie Physique (LSP) der Joseph Fourier Unversität in Grenoble. Ziel war die Messung der Gastemperatur in einer selbstpulsenden dünnen Kathoden-Entladung. Die Messung war erfolgreich. Durch die Untersuchung des Emissionsspektrums wurden die Kenntnisse über die Entladung erweitet.
Dieser Aufenthalt wurde durch das Research Department ermöglicht.
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Padma Shukla at International Congress on Plasma Physics, Santiago de Chile
The 2010 International Congress on Plasma Physics (2010ICPP) in Santiago de Chile was held during the period 8-13 August 2010. This Conference was partially sponsored by International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), and was attended by more than 250 delegates from all over the world. The 2010ICPP scientific program included 15 invited plenary talks, 23 invited topical talks, 45 oral contributions, and 160 poster contributions. The presentations reflected the present status of advancement and achievements in basic and applied plasma physics, in low-temperature processing and dusty plasmas, in space and astrophysical plasmas, in fusion plasmas (both the magnetic and inertial confinement fusion), as well as novel aspects of extreme states of plasmas in the universe and dense quantum plasmas, and plasma based charged particle acceleration.
During the 2010ICPP Santiago de Chile, IUPAP C.16 Chairman and RD Plasmas with Complex Interactions's PI Professor Padma Kant Shukla delivered a tutorial lecture on "Introduction to Quantum Plasma Physics". He also presented in an officual ceremony the IUPAP C.16 Young Scientist Prize and Medal in Plasma Physics to Dr. Mattew Hole (ANU, Australia) for his contribution to the measurement, interpretation, analysis, and understanding of wave phenomena in plasmas, as well as his research leadership to champian an Australian research engagement with ITER. Dr. Hole was invited to ICPP2010 to deliver a plenary talk dealing with his Prize.
Photo: Prof. Padma Shukla (left) & Prof. Predhiman Krishan Kaw, Director IPR India (right)
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Plasma Doctoral Workshop
The Research Department "Plasmas with Complex Interactions" organizes in cooperation with the research group FOR 1123 "Microplasmas" and the SFB-TR 87 a workshop for PhD students. This workshop has been held on August 9 and 10, 2010 in Rolduc, Kerkrade (Netherlands).
Starting on Monday morning, the PhD students will present and discuss their current research results individually or in groups of two.
In addition to the Bochum students, Pascal Chabert and Claudia Lazzaroni (both LPP, France) as well as doctoral students from Paderborn and RWTH Aachen will also participate.