Non-neutral plasmas and beam dynamics, Plasma astrophysics, Magnetized liquid metals for plasma research, Advanced liquid centrifuge applications

Erik Gilson is a principal research physicist with expertise in plasmas in which self-electric and self-magnetic fields are dominant. He studies dynamics and instability of intense charged particle beams. Such beams can be applied to high-energy and nuclear physics, medical isotope generation and proton therapies, free-electron lasers, and high-energy density physics. Other research aims to understand turbulence in magnetized liquid metal flows. These experiments simulate accretion disks – clouds of ionized gas that accumulate on objects such as black holes or neutron stars. His advanced liquid centrifuge provides improved flow that reduces turbulence at high speed to allow more efficient separation for use in industry