TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for nanoparticles in microwave-generated fireballs observed by synchrotron X-ray scattering
AU - Mitchell, J. B.A.
AU - Legarrec, J. L.
AU - Sztucki, M.
AU - Narayanan, T.
AU - Dikhtyar, V.
AU - Jerby, E.
PY - 2008/2/11
Y1 - 2008/2/11
N2 - The small-angle x-ray scattering method has been applied to study fireballs ejected into the air from molten hot spots in borosilicate glass by localized microwaves. The fireball's particle size distribution, density, and decay rate in atmospheric pressure were measured. The results show that the fireballs contain particles with a mean size of ∼50nm with average number densities on the order of ∼109. Hence, fireballs can be considered as a dusty plasma which consists of an ensemble of charged nanoparticles in the plasma volume. This finding is likened to the ball-lightning phenomenon explained by the formation of an oxidizing particle network liberated by lightning striking the ground.
AB - The small-angle x-ray scattering method has been applied to study fireballs ejected into the air from molten hot spots in borosilicate glass by localized microwaves. The fireball's particle size distribution, density, and decay rate in atmospheric pressure were measured. The results show that the fireballs contain particles with a mean size of ∼50nm with average number densities on the order of ∼109. Hence, fireballs can be considered as a dusty plasma which consists of an ensemble of charged nanoparticles in the plasma volume. This finding is likened to the ball-lightning phenomenon explained by the formation of an oxidizing particle network liberated by lightning striking the ground.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=40749133290&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.065001
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.065001
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C2 - 18352481
AN - SCOPUS:40749133290
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 100
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
IS - 6
M1 - 065001
ER -