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What are noctilucent clouds made of?
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plasma
Learn about the PHELIX (Petawatt High-Energy Laser for Heavy Ion Experiments) laser at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany. PHELIX is used for plasma and atomic physics research.
Noctilucent clouds are rare, high-altitude clouds primarily composed of ice crystals and dust from meteor smoke. These clouds form at altitudes of approximately 82 to 85 kilometers in the coldest region of the upper atmosphere, where even minute amounts of water vapor freeze.12
In the context of plasma physics, these clouds are thought to consist of charged and potentially dusty ice crystals. This unique medium shares characteristics with dusty plasmas found in planetary rings and other cosmic systems. Their formation is facilitated by the presence of water vapor, which can be produced through chemical reactions involving methane in the upper atmosphere.21