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The '''[[Plasma Universe]]''' is a term coined by Nobel Laureate [[Hannes Alfvén]] to highlight the importance of plasma throughout the Universe.

See how much you think you know about '''cosmic plasma''' below, and then check out our [[Articles on the Plasma Universe|articles]], [[Special:Newimages|images]] and the [[Plasma Universe Timeline]]:

{{Introduction}}
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==Know plasma, know 99.999% of the Universe ==
<div style="margin:-10px 0px 0px 0px">(No plasma, no Universe)</div>


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The '''[[Plasma Universe]]''' is a term coined by Nobel Laureate [[Hannes Alfvén]] to highlight the importance of plasma throughout the Universe.

See how much you think you know about '''cosmic plasma''' below, and then check out our [[Articles on the Plasma Universe|articles]], [[Special:Newimages|images]] and the [[Plasma Universe Timeline]].</div>
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Note: Some of the theories on this site form the cornerstone of plasma astrophysics. Other theories contradict the generally accepted view ([[Plasma Universe / Big Bang comparison|qv]]). This site merely attempts to describe them, citing peer-reviewed references where available.</div>


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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">1: What is plasma?</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;height:196px;">[[Image:aurora-earth.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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What is [[plasma]]? We're familiar with solids, liquids and gases, such as solid ice, liquid water and gaseous steam. But heat atoms more, and they 'split' into free ions and electrons: a '''plasma''', e.g., the electrified [[aurora]], above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">2: Where is plasma?</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:#710100;height:196px;">[[Image:Sun-corona.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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The visible Universe is [[99.999% plasma]]. The Sun is about 100% plasma, as are all stars. Plasma makes up nearly 100% of the interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic medium. The Earth's ionosphere is plasma.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">3: Why is plasma so?</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;">[[Image:Plasma-lamp 2.jpg|192px]]</td></tr>
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[[Plasma]] react very strongly to [[electromagnetic force]]s, and is the dominant force in many cosmic plasmas, e.g. stellar surfaces, active galactic nuclei, and, interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic space.[http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5Ba2-lfLiiAC&pg=PA1&dq=plasma+electromagnetic+forces+gravitational&sig=ZeRRRpfkLGy5qRNFHbA1VEpsYRI#PPA1,M1]</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">4: Electrified plasmas</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;height:196px;">[[Image:Heliospheric-current-sheet_edit.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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Space plasma moving through a magnetic field generates its own [[Electric_currents_in_space_plasmas|electric current]], can act as a [[unipolar inductor]], and it conducts electricity better than metals, e.g. the [[heliospheric current sheet]] above, and [[Birkeland current]]s.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">5: Plasma filaments</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;height:196px;">[[Image:ant-nebula-rotated.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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Magnetic fields from electric currents make a [[pinch|plasma pinch]] seen in the hourglass-shaped nebula above, and constricting [[filamentation|filament]]s in a plasma ball and lightning bolts; they also constrict [[particle beam]]s seen in astrophysical jets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">6: Galaxy simulation</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;">[[Image:peratt-galaxy-simulation.gif|192px]]</td></tr>
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Computer simulations of two interacting [[Birkeland current]]s with plasma clouds trapped in parallel magnetic filaments simulate evolving [[galaxy formation]]s, without the need for dark matter and black holes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">7: Dusty plasmas</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;height:196px;">[[Image:ngc-6751.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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A gas as little as 1% ionized may behave as a plasma (e.g. the ionosphere). In addition to light and friction, [[Dusty plasma|dust and grains]] are charged inside a plasma, and behave as one, such as the Glowing Eye Nebula, above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">8: Quasi-neutrality</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;height:196px;">[[Image:m87-marshall.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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The [[quasi-neutrality]] of plasmas, means they ''tend'' overall to be electrically neutral. But plasmas can also ''violate'' quasi-neutrality, producing charged regions in [[double layer]]s and [[particle beam]]s, such as in M87's jet, above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">9: From lab to space</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:#444444;height:196px">[[Image:dense-plasma-focus-sheath.jpg|196px]]</td></tr>
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Plasma Universe research derives from [[laboratory astrophysics|laboratory experiments]], such as the [[dense plasma focus]] above, with pioneers such as [[Kristian Birkeland]], [[Hannes Alfvén]], [[Winston H. Bostick]]. Compare this image with the Glowing Eye Nebula, far left</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="background:darkblue;color:yellow;font-size:120%;text-align:center;font-weight:bold;border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px">10: Types of Plasmas</td></tr>
<tr><td style="background:black;">[[Image:plasma-types.jpg|440px]]</td></tr>
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[[Plasma]]s vary according to temperature and density, and have characteristics that [[Plasma scaling|scale]] over many orders of magnitude.<br /> <span style="font-size:90%;text-align:center">Image copyright [http://www.cpepweb.org Contemporary Physics Education Project]</span></td></tr>
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