Shear flow in a three-dimensional complex plasma in microgravity conditions

Abstract

Shear flow in a three-dimensional (3D) complex plasma was experimentally studied in microgravity conditions using the Plasmakristall-4 laboratory on board the International Space Station. The shear flow was created in an extended suspension of microparticles by applying the radiation pressure force of the manipulation-laser beam. Individual particle trajectories in the flow were analyzed and from these, using the Navier-Stokes equation, an upper estimate of the complex plasma's kinematic viscosity was calculated in the range of 0.2–6.7mm^{2}/s. This estimate is much lower than previously reported in ground-based experiments with 3D complex plasmas. Possible reasons for this difference are discussed.