The Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL) is an experimental instrument on board the ISS, which launched in 2018. It creates an extremely cold environment in microgravity in order to study behaviour of atoms in these conditions.[1][2]
The CAL was developed at JPL in Pasadena, California.[3] It was originally scheduled for launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in June 2017.[4] It was then delayed until a scheduled launch on a SpaceX CRS-12 rocket in August 2017.[5] It was finally launched on May 21, 2018.[2] The initial mission had a duration of 12 months with up to five years of extended operation.[4]
In January 2020 it underwent hardware upgrades, which were carried out over an eight-day period by astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir under the supervision of ground controllers.[1] The upgrade included an atom interferometer which can be used to study the equivalence principle.[6]
In July 2021, another upgrade by astronaut Megan McArthur gave CAL the ability to work with ultracold potassium atoms in addition to rubidium atoms.[7]
Christina Koch next to the Cold Atom Laboratory on board the ISS in January 2020
Purposeedit
The instrument creates extremely cold conditions in the microgravity environment of the ISS, leading to the formation of Bose Einstein Condensates (BECs) that are orders of magnitude colder than those that are created in laboratories on Earth.[4] In a space-based laboratory, up to 10 seconds interaction times and as low as 1 picokelvin temperatures are achievable, and it could lead to exploration of unknown quantum mechanical phenomena and test some of the most fundamental laws of physics.[8][4] These experiments are best done in a freely falling environment, because it is more conducive to uninhibited formation of BECs. Ground based experiments suffer from the effect of the condensate interacting asymmetrically with the apparatus, interfering with the time evolution of the condensate. In orbit, experiments can last much longer because freefall is sustained indefinitely.[4]NASA's JPL scientists state that the CAL investigation could advance knowledge in the development of extremely sensitive quantum detectors, which could be used for monitoring the gravity of Earth and other planetary bodies, or for building advanced navigation devices.[4]
Resultsedit
The results of the experiments from 2019 were reported in 2020, demonstrating successful operation of the laboratory. This enables improved research of BECs and quantum mechanics, since physics are scaled to macroscopic scales in BECs. The lab supports long-term investigations of few-body physics, and supports the development of techniques for atom-wave interferometry and atom lasers.[9][10]
^ abcdef"Cold Atom Laboratory". coldatomlab.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
^"NASA to launch Cold Atom Lab in space". 8 March 2017.
^Green, Jim; Elliot, Ethan (2021-08-06). "Season 5, Episode 13: Freaky Physics on the Space Station". NASA Gravity Assist. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
^"Upgrading the Space Station's Cold Atom Lab With Mixed Reality". coldatomlab.jpl.nasa.gov. 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
^. NASA News. 26 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2021-07-08. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
^"Quantum 'fifth state of matter' observed in space for first time". phys.org. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
^Aveline, David C.; Williams, Jason R.; Elliott, Ethan R.; Dutenhoffer, Chelsea; Kellogg, James R.; Kohel, James M.; Lay, Norman E.; Oudrhiri, Kamal; Shotwell, Robert F.; Yu, Nan; Thompson, Robert J. (June 2020). "Observation of Bose–Einstein condensates in an Earth-orbiting research lab". Nature. 582 (7811): 193–197. Bibcode:2020Natur.582..193A. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2346-1. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 32528092. S2CID 219568565. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
External linksedit
Media related to Cold Atom Laboratory at Wikimedia Commons
Cold Atom Laboratory – Project web site at JPL
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cold, atom, laboratory, experimental, instrument, board, which, launched, 2018, creates, extremely, cold, environment, microgravity, order, study, behaviour, atoms, these, conditions, machine, testing, contents, timeline, purpose, results, also, references, ex. The Cold Atom Laboratory CAL is an experimental instrument on board the ISS which launched in 2018 It creates an extremely cold environment in microgravity in order to study behaviour of atoms in these conditions 1 2 The Cold Atom Laboratory machine in a testing rig Contents 1 Timeline 2 Purpose 3 Results 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksTimeline editThe CAL was developed at JPL in Pasadena California 3 It was originally scheduled for launch to the International Space Station ISS in June 2017 4 It was then delayed until a scheduled launch on a SpaceX CRS 12 rocket in August 2017 5 It was finally launched on May 21 2018 2 The initial mission had a duration of 12 months with up to five years of extended operation 4 In January 2020 it underwent hardware upgrades which were carried out over an eight day period by astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir under the supervision of ground controllers 1 The upgrade included an atom interferometer which can be used to study the equivalence principle 6 In July 2021 another upgrade by astronaut Megan McArthur gave CAL the ability to work with ultracold potassium atoms in addition to rubidium atoms 7 nbsp Christina Koch next to the Cold Atom Laboratory on board the ISS in January 2020Purpose editThe instrument creates extremely cold conditions in the microgravity environment of the ISS leading to the formation of Bose Einstein Condensates BECs that are orders of magnitude colder than those that are created in laboratories on Earth 4 In a space based laboratory up to 10 seconds interaction times and as low as 1 picokelvin temperatures are achievable and it could lead to exploration of unknown quantum mechanical phenomena and test some of the most fundamental laws of physics 8 4 These experiments are best done in a freely falling environment because it is more conducive to uninhibited formation of BECs Ground based experiments suffer from the effect of the condensate interacting asymmetrically with the apparatus interfering with the time evolution of the condensate In orbit experiments can last much longer because freefall is sustained indefinitely 4 NASA s JPL scientists state that the CAL investigation could advance knowledge in the development of extremely sensitive quantum detectors which could be used for monitoring the gravity of Earth and other planetary bodies or for building advanced navigation devices 4 Results editThe results of the experiments from 2019 were reported in 2020 demonstrating successful operation of the laboratory This enables improved research of BECs and quantum mechanics since physics are scaled to macroscopic scales in BECs The lab supports long term investigations of few body physics and supports the development of techniques for atom wave interferometry and atom lasers 9 10 See also edit nbsp Physics portal Bose Einstein correlations Bose Einstein condensation a network theory approach Bose Einstein condensation of excitons Macroscopic quantum phenomena Macroscopic quantum self trapping Slow light Timeline of low temperature technologyReferences edit a b The Space Station s Coolest Experiment Gets Astronaut Assisted Upgrade NASA JPL Retrieved 2020 09 13 a b NASA is creating a super cold lab in space to study quantum physics QUARTZ 2018 05 24 Retrieved 2018 05 24 Elizabeth Landau 2016 03 18 Cold Atom Laboratory Doing Cool Research NASA Retrieved 2020 11 19 a b c d e f Cold Atom Laboratory coldatomlab jpl nasa gov Retrieved 2019 08 29 NASA to launch Cold Atom Lab in space 8 March 2017 Green Jim Elliot Ethan 2021 08 06 Season 5 Episode 13 Freaky Physics on the Space Station NASA Gravity Assist Retrieved 2022 01 25 Upgrading the Space Station s Cold Atom Lab With Mixed Reality coldatomlab jpl nasa gov 2021 10 26 Retrieved 2022 01 23 Cold Atom Laboratory Creates Atomic Dance NASA News 26 September 2014 Archived from the original on 2021 07 08 Retrieved 2015 05 21 Quantum fifth state of matter observed in space for first time phys org Retrieved 4 July 2020 Aveline David C Williams Jason R Elliott Ethan R Dutenhoffer Chelsea Kellogg James R Kohel James M Lay Norman E Oudrhiri Kamal Shotwell Robert F Yu Nan Thompson Robert J June 2020 Observation of Bose Einstein condensates in an Earth orbiting research lab Nature 582 7811 193 197 Bibcode 2020Natur 582 193A doi 10 1038 s41586 020 2346 1 ISSN 1476 4687 PMID 32528092 S2CID 219568565 Retrieved 4 July 2020 External links edit nbsp Media related to Cold Atom Laboratory at Wikimedia Commons Cold Atom Laboratory Project web site at JPL nbsp This particle physics related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cold Atom Laboratory amp oldid 1198077373, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
