CoMPaSS

CoMPaSS (Core-Mantle-Particle Sedimentation System) is a cryogenic sedimentation chamber designed to investigate the adhesion of micrometer-sized ice particles over a temperature range from 90 K to 210 K. Using a disperser, water droplets are sprayed into a cold nitrogen atmosphere, where they freeze and subsequently sediment onto a target. The ice particles are then observed with a high-resolution optical imaging system. Furthermore, the chamber can be extended to produce and investigate core-mantle particles. This setup enables the study of the growth of fractal ice aggregates and the evolution of their structure under protoplanetary conditions. These properties play crucial role in the formation of planetesimals, comets, and other icy bodies.