User projects at the Princeton Collaborative Research Facility (PCRF) on theory and modeling relevant to plasma-liquid interaction*

A brief review of several theoretical PCRF projects on processes relevant to plasma-fluid interactions is presented. One such project (Pi: Prof. Alexander Fridman) was focused on the experimental and theoretical investigation of the effect of the interaction of weakly ionized plasma with water on the physical properties of water, such as surface tension, viscosity, freezing rate, and wettability and washability [1]. Another project (Pi: Prof. Albina Tropina) is related to the study of the interaction of a liquid droplet with laser radiation. A theoretical model has been developed to describe the droplet dynamics, taking into account laser radiation parameters, droplet composition and size, and phase transitions [2].  Also, the theory of ionization development in the process of nanosecond breakdown developing in water was proposed  (Pi: Prof. Xuewei Zhang) based on generation and multiplication of primary electrons at the early stage of electrical breakdown in water in the cavitation zone caused by the electrostrictive negative pressure and tunnel release of electrons from OH^- ions [3].  An important problem for many plasma applications is the behavior of a liquid metal surface in a strong electric field.  In the project (Pi: Prof. Kentaro Hara) the shallow water model was developed to study the evolution of the liquid metal protrusion (result of the Tonks-Frenkel instability) under the presence of an applied electric field [4].