COMPLEX PLASMAS
In the new millenium, the research interests of the Plasma Dynamics Group have been focused on complex (dusty) plasmas. Our experimental investigations were made in various laboratory setups and under microgravity aboard parabolic flights. The generous funding of dusty plasma research by DFG within the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre TR-24 Greifswald-Kiel (2005-2017) and by DLR (2003-2016) is gratefully acknowledged.
With the retirement of Prof. Piel in 2017, the
experimental research on complex plasmas under microgravity is now being continued by our long-time
collaborators at Greifswald University in
Prof. Melzer's group.
At Kiel University, laboratory research on complex plasmas is now part of the activities of
Prof. Benedict's group.
Prof. Piel has focused his interests on the simulation of complex plasmas with
fast molecular dynamics codes. Besides, he continues to publish textbooks and popularizations of
physics history.