October 5, 2004

Troy University professor receives federal grant to study plasma

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a Troy University faculty member a $450,000 grant to study the effects of plasmas on shock waves, research that could aid alternative energy research efforts as well as the aviation industry.

Dr. Nirmol K. Podder, assistant professor of physics, will conduct the research over three years. Currently, one Troy University student is assisting Dr. Podder in his research. Over the next three years, he plans to hire up to three students in his laboratory.

“This is basic research in plasma physics, and it will be beneficial for our students to be involved in this type of hands-on research work,” Dr. Podder, a 1992 graduate of Troy University , said.

The research will aid in the development of alternative sources of energy, specifically fusion energy, Dr. Podder said. He collaborates with professors from Auburn University and Florida A&M University on various plasma physics projects.

The research will study the effects of plasmas on shock waves as well as the effects of shock waves on plasmas, Dr. Podder said.

“When a sonic boom or shockwave travels through a neutral gas (such as air) the speed of the shock generally decreases,” Dr. Podder said. “However, if the shock wave travels through a plasma, it experiences an accelerated speed. This increased shock speeds in plasma have potentials for the development of supersonic airframes.”

Dr. Podder joined the Troy University faculty in 2003 following four years of post-doctoral work at Florida A&M, where he worked on research projects funded by the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration  He received his Ph.D. in experimental plasma spectroscopy from Auburn University in 1999.