Analysis of the neutral drag force in a dc glow discharge dusty plasma
- Plasma Sciences Laboratory, Physics Department, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5311 (United States)
In this paper, the authors report on a series of experiments that use carefully applied perturbations to a dust cloud to reproducibly investigate the formation of the microparticle cloud and the formation of dust cloud-plasma interface. Here, one micron diameter alumina microparticles are suspended in an argon dc glow discharge plasma. A perturbing voltage pulse is applied to the cathode, causing a momentary disruption in the confinement of the dust cloud. After the perturbation, the cloud reforms, typically with a central 'mass' and two 'streams' of particles that are flowing into the cloud from both sides. Through the use of stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (stereo-PIV), the complete three-dimensional velocity of the microparticles can be measured. The particles in the streams are used as test particles to characterize the forces acting upon the microparticles. Analysis of the experimental measurements suggests that the effective neutral drag force may be lower than expected.
- OSTI ID:
- 20726767
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 799, Issue 1; Conference: 4. international conference on the physics of dusty plasmas, Orleans (France), 13-17 Jun 2005; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2134619; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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