The SOft MAtter EXperiment platform shall facilitate easy and fast integration of experiments with optical or light scattering diagnostics in the future. The first component of it has now shown its capabilities: SOMEX-GE (Granular Experiments) allows experiments on fluidized granular particles or gas bubbles by simultaneous video tracking and light scattering. The experiment was a joint work of Lisa Dossow, who took care of the diagnostics and data processing, of Fayez Alallaf, who constructed the sample cell, and of Raphael Kessler, who is in charge of the SOMEX platform. They integrated the drop tower capsule together with engineers from ZARM. During eight flights with cumulatively 72 s of microgravity, technical feasibility was tested, latest optimizations were implemented and dynamic light scattering studies on polymer particles and on nitrogen gas bubbles were performed.
Souvenir picture of Lisa and Fayez, taken inside of the drop tower next to the experiment…