PURE crystal purification in 0 g Crystal purification

PURE – crystal purification in 0 g Crystal purification experiment in 0 g environment during the ESA’s annual student parabolic flight campaign

Overview Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment • Zero g • Parabolic flights • The pure experiment • Bordeaux September 5 – 15 • Dates & useful link Bordeaux 06 • Thanks to the sponsors Conclusion

Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • 0 G means no gravitational force is applied on the body and the weight of the body becomes 0. • Because of the General Theory of Relativity, this can be reached by a free falling object – > Parabolic trajectory

Parabolic Flight Zero. G • The plane follows a parabolic trajectoire Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • Zero G during 18 -23 sec • Pull-out/injection 1 g -> 2 g -> 0 g -> 2 g -> 1 g

PURE Experiment • The Team Zero. G Parabolic Flight • Prof. D. Pavuna – advisor • • Nicolai Chapochnikov Mark Ambühl Alexei Altoukhov Alexandre de oliveira Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • The Idea -Zone Refining

Zone refining Zero. G • Move crystal impurities using a temperature gradient – > crystal purification Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion

Why 0 g Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • When a crystal is in 0 g, the atoms feel no gravitational constrains : – the impurities should move easier than in 1 g – there is no thermal convection effects → Better purification

The set up Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • Setting of the experiment [video]

Nothing is easy • Constraints Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion – – Oven in the plane Sample at the melting point Overall protection We want fun • [picture of the experiment with all the features]

Going to Bordeaux Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • Finish working @EPFL at 6 in the morning • Loading the van • Arriving in Bordeaux the 1 September • 10 hours of road • Ready to work…

The workshop Zero. G • Big white tent [picture] • Multicultural teams: – Norwegian, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Belgium, French, Hungarian, … Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • • Multi-Faculty : physics, biology, … Noises, drills and sugus Last minutes tuning Great expectations!

Flights • 2 sessions: Zero. G Parabolic Flight – 6 Sept. : Alexei + Nicolai flew from Brussels to Bordeaux • All successful manipulations • Time to adapt • [video] Experiment – 7 Sept. : Mark + Alex flew from Bordeaux to Bordeaux (sic!) Bordeaux 06 • Only 17 parabolas • All successful manipulations • [video] Conclusion

Feedback Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • Unpacking the experiment • Writing first result report + report for ESA • Interviews • Contacts • …all the best the French team

Conclusion Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • • Wonderful experience Unforgettable sensations Meeting people Lots of work • …the future : astronaut!

Thank you sponsors! Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion

Dates Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion • End Novembre : comparaison of the results • End March 2007 : report finished • From April: dissemination of our results

Contacts Zero. G Parabolic Flight • PURE : http: //pure. epfl. ch • ESA : http: //www. esa. int/esa. ED/SEMFSU 1 A 6 BD_index_0. html • EPFL : www. epfl. ch • SPACE CENTER : http: //space. epfl. ch/page 57186. html • FSB : http: //sb. epfl. ch/en • IPMC : http: //ipmc. epfl. ch/ • POSEIDON : http: //poseidon. epfl. ch Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion

Flights – session 1 Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion

Flights – session 2 Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion

The set up Zero. G Parabolic Flight Experiment Bordeaux 06 Conclusion