Coagulation of dust particles in a plasma

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169178· OSTI ID:6334457

Horanyi, M; Goertz, C K ^[1]

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1. Arizona Univ., Tucson (USA) Iowa Univ., Iowa City (USA)

The electrostatic charge of small dust grains in a plasma in which the temperature varies in time is discussed, pointing out that secondary electron emission might introduce charge separation. If the sign of the charge on small grains is opposite to that on big ones, enhanced coagulation can occur which will affect the size distribution of grains in a plasma. Two scenarios where this process might be relevant are considered: a hot plasma environment with temperature fluctuations and a cold plasma environment with transient heating events. The importance of the enhanced coagulation is uncertain, because the plasma parameters in grain-producing environments such as a molecular cloud or a protoplanetary disk are not known. It is possible, however, that this process is the most efficient mechanism for the growth of grains in the size range of 0.1-500 microns. 9 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6334457
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Vol. 361; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC DUST
FLOCCULATION
COLD PLASMA
COSMIC GASES
COSMOCHEMISTRY
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELECTROSTATICS
HEATING
HOT PLASMA
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
MOLECULES
PARTICLE SIZE
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
CHEMISTRY
DUSTS
EMISSION
FLUIDS
GASES
PRECIPITATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
SPACE
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies