Research Interests Matthew R. Stoneking Research Interests Plasma Physics Plasma physics is the study of hot, ionized gases, sometimes referred to as the fourth state of matter. A plasma, being a collection of charged particles interacting with each other over long distances via electric and magnetic forces, exhibits a wide array of complex behavior including waves and instabilities. One of the potential applications of plasma physics is the production of electric power from nuclear fusion. Perfect insulation is not generally achieved because turbulent fluctuations arise in the plasma that transport plasma particles and energy out of the magnetic field and into the wall of the container. A major emphasis of my research effort is to quantify the turbulent transport due to magnetic turbulence, to understand the physics governing the turbulence and to attempt to reduce the turbulence, i.e. plugging the leaks in the magnetic bottle.
Nonneutral plasmas have unequal populations of positive and negative charged particles.
An extreme example of such a charged plasma is a pure electron cloud. In many ways a non-neutral plasma behaves like a neutral plasma, but since the unneutralized space charge creates a strong electric field that modifies the behavior of the system. The Lawrence Nonnneutral Torus is under construction in the basement of Youngchild Hall. Here are some photos . A eulogy commemorating the life of Don Kerst , plasma physicist and inventor of the betatron by J. Clint Sprott.