Collaborative Research: Research on Strongly Coupled Plasmas

波士顿学院（BC;首席研究员Gabor J. Kalman博士）和佛蒙特大学（UVM; Kenneth I.博士）将继续开展一个关于强耦合等离子体的理论/计算研究的合作项目。等离子体的耦合强度由平均库仑相互作用能与平均动能的比率表征。等离子体被认为是强耦合时，这个比例是超过1的带电粒子的集合是在液相或固相的程度，奇异的物质状态，在托卡马克聚变装置和空间物理学研究的传统气体等离子体形成鲜明对比。 强库仑相互作用表现在各种迷人的经典和量子等离子体系统中，例如，半导体量子威尔斯中的层状带电粒子系统，低温阱中的层状带电粒子，天体物理等离子体（巨行星内部，白色矮星内部，中子星的外壳等），和实验室尘埃等离子体。 UVM/BC合作项目解决了强耦合等离子体动力学物理学的核心问题。 提出了在这一领域继续取得进展的两个总目标。第一个目标是继续建立强耦合等离子体液体动力学描述的理论框架。 第二个目标是将在强耦合等离子体研究中获得的这种理解应用于处于凝聚态物理研究前沿的新物理系统。 现在认识到，半导体中量子库仑液体的各种伪装表现出在强耦合等离子体动力学框架内理解的行为，同时还呈现出原始问题的一些独特分支（偶极子的形成、石墨烯电子的超相对论性行为等）。 该项目的第二个主要目标是分析这些新型半导体等离子体的集体模式（自然频率）和响应函数。 这项研究，其第一原理微观和模拟方法来确定各种强耦合库仑系统的动态特性，将大大增加等离子体和凝聚态物理学的基础知识。 这项研究将继续提供新的见解，这两个学科之间的边界区域，突出了基础物理的相似性，支配等离子体和凝聚态系统的行为。 沿着本研究的预测可以进行的实验可以来自任何一个学科，预计都是相关的。拟议的研究计划将继续促进两个学术机构参与的本科生和研究生的教学和培训。 它还将继续向外国机构（匈牙利科学院固态物理和光学研究所;瓦伦西亚理工大学）的科学家（包括博士后和研究生）提供尖端研究和学习机会。 这项研究的结果将继续在国际会议上提出（如2002年，2005年，2008年强耦合库仑系统会议），并通过会议组织者所做的重大外联工作向公众传播

A Collaborative Project of theoretical/computational research on strongly coupled plasmas will be continued by Boston College (BC; Dr. Gabor J. Kalman, Principal Investigator) and the University of Vermont (UVM; Dr. Kenneth I. Golden, Principal Investigator).The coupling strength of a plasma is characterized by the ratio of the average Coulomb interaction energy to the average kinetic energy. The plasma is considered to be strongly coupled when this ratio is exceeds unity to the extent that the collection of charged particles is in the liquid or solid phase, exotic states of matter that are in marked contrast to the traditional gaseous plasmas studied in Tokamak fusion devices and space physics. Strong Coulomb interactions are exhibited by a variety of fascinating classical and quantum plasma systems, e.g., layered charged-particle systems in semiconductor quantum wells, layered charged particles confined in cryogenic traps, astrophysical plasmas (giant planetary interiors, white dwarf interiors, the outer crusts of neutron stars, etc.), and laboratory dusty plasmas. The collaborative UVM/BC Project addresses issues central to the physics of strongly coupled plasma dynamics. Two general objectives for continued progress in this field are set forth. The first objective is to continue building up the theoretical framework for the description of the dynamics of strongly coupled plasma liquids. The second objective is the application of this understanding, gained in the study of strongly coupled plasmas, to novel physical systems that are in the forefront of condensed matter physics research. It is now recognized that the various guises of the quantum Coulomb liquid in semiconductors exhibit behavior that is to be understood within the framework of strongly coupled plasma dynamics while also presenting some unique ramifications of the original issues (formation of dipoles, ultra-relativistic-like behavior of graphene electrons, etc). The analysis of the collective modes (natural frequencies) and response functions pertaining to these novel semiconductor plasmas is the second main objective of the Project. The research, with its first-principles microscopic and simulation approaches to the determination of the dynamic properties of a wide variety of strongly coupled Coulomb systems, will substantially add to the fundamental knowledge base of plasma and condensed matter physics. This research will continue to provide new insights into the borderline area between these two disciplines by highlighting the similarity of the underlying physics that governs the behavior of plasma and condensed matter systems. The experiments that can be carried out along the predictions of this research can come from either discipline and are expected to be relevant to both.The proposed research program will continue to promote the teaching and training of participating undergraduate and graduate students at both academic institutions. It will also continue to provide cutting edge research and learning opportunities to scientists (including postdoctoral and graduate students) at foreign institutions (the Research Institute of Solid State Physics and Optics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Polytechnic University of Valencia). The results of this research will continue to be presented at international conferences (such as the 2002, 2005, 2008 Strongly Coupled Coulomb Systems Conferences) and disseminated to the public through the major outreach efforts made by the conference organizers