Space plasma research. Computer simulation of the interior of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD), the world's finest plasma research device in 1998. The LAPD is a 10 metre long tube which mimics space conditions. Plasma is a gas-like state of matter formed from the constituents of atoms. It is found throughout space. The LAPD uses strong magnetic fields to hold, shape and study plasma. The magnets are shown as purple rings. The coloured regions in the tube represent interactions between the plasma and the magnetic fields. Research into plasma helps understand its effects, such as causing the Northern Lights. The LAPD is owned by the University of California in Los Angeles, USA.