2000  -  2004

Within the framework of a new program of the Max Planck Society (MPG) to stimulate interdisciplinary research between Max Planck Institutes, the Centre for Interdisciplinary Plasma Science was founded with effect of January 1st, 2000 by the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) and the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik (IPP).  The aim of this collaboration was to merge and strengthen complementary research activities in complex plasmas, theoretical and numerical plasma science and scientific data analysis.

"Complex plasmas" comprises research on low-temperature plasma surface interactions and on multicomponent plasmas containing micro particles.

"Plasma theory" supports applications reaching from plasma fusion to astrophysics. The efficiency of research was increased through sharing of the know-how in numerical techniques and in diagnostic tools.

"Data analysis" capabilities were improved through the development of new advanced information-theoretical techniques and applications of Bayesian analysis.

Towards this goal, the MPG had made available 7.8 millon Mark (about 4 million Euro).

The directorship of the collaboration was shared by Prof. Morfill (MPE) and Prof. Dose (IPP) .

After 5 years the extremely successful inter-institutional research program CIPS came to an end in December 2004. Important research was carried on however by a new founded research group at MPE: "Experimental Complex Plasmas". Among those were the experiments on board the International Space Station (ISS) which were the first successful scientific experiments carried out on board the ISS.


last update 2014-02-06  by H. Steinle

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