Electrostatic charge on a dust size distribution in a plasma

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA11p12057· OSTI ID:5963481

Houpis, H L.F. ^[1]; Whipple, Jr, E C ^[2]

---

1. Florida State Univ., Tallahassee (United States) Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla (United States)
2. Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla (United States)

The capacitance of a grain immersed in a steady state plasma containing a size distribution of dust particles is calculated. Assuming the equilibrium potential has been obtained by a simple balance of electron and ion collection currents, the grain charge is also obtained. It is shown that the validity of the analytical treatment given here for the linearized Poisson's equation is confined to a certain region of {lambda}{sub D} - R (Debye length; interparticle spacing radius) space. Outside this region, a numerical solution of the full nonlinear Poisson's equation will be needed. Within the valid linear region and starting at very small {lambda}{sub D} (or R), the capacitance at first exhibits a monotonic increase with increasing {lambda}{sub D} (or R). Eventually, the capacitance reaches a maximum, and this is followed by a monotonic decrease. The charge density of the dust in the plasma, however, is found to be only a function of the Debye length; there is no significant dependence on the interparticle spacing. Finally, the results of similar calculations by Goertz and Ip (1984) and Whipple et al. (1985) for a dusty plasma with a single grain size are shown to be qualitatively different from the results given here. The reason for this is the limited {lambda}{sub D} - R space investigated by these different from the results given here. The reason for this is the limited {lambda}{sub D} - R space investigated by these authors and the inconsistent use of a linearized calculation to interpret dust behavior in a nonlinear regime.

• OSTI ID: 5963481
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 92:A11; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DUSTS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
ELECTROSTATICS
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PARTICLE SIZE
PLASMA
POISSON EQUATION
ATMOSPHERES
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
SIZE
661300* - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)