Topic: instruments

Design, test and analyse instruments measuring energetic particles in space. The appointment combines space-plasma research with laboratory testing, calibration and support for flight instrumentation.

The discussion questions when laboratory equipment can be treated as chemically inert. A mechanochemical experiment in which steel milling balls shed reactive particles illustrates how vessels and instruments can alter results, motivating closer attention to material compatibility. A second segment considers a chemical explanation for the historical mystery of the abandoned Mary Celeste.