These devices are capable of revealing information about the Earth's upper atmosphere, known as the ignosphere. (Image credit: Gregory Adams via Getty Images)
For the first time, self-elevating devices powered by sunlight were studied in vacuum-like conditions typical of the Earth's upper atmosphere, marking the beginning of a scientific revolution in atmospheric studies.
These tiny, lightweight membranes, made of aluminum oxide and a layer of chromium, use the photophoresis effect, which occurs when one side of a thin material is hotter than the other. Gas molecules bounce off the warmer side, lifting the membrane upward. However, this effect is extremely weak and can therefore only be seen in very low-pressure environments, such as near the edge of space.
In a recent experiment, described in a paper published August 13 in the journal Nature, the researchers levitated 0.4-inch (1-centimeter) particles in a vacuum chamber illuminated with light intensity about 55% that of natural sunlight.
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
