An analysis of acoustic oscillations in dust plasma structures

Abstract

Low-frequency oscillations in the density of dust particles, which are spontaneously excited in the standing plasma column of a dc glow discharge in neon, were experimentally studied. The longitudinal waves were monitored by a special visualization technique, and the dust sound oscillation characteristics were determined and analyzed using specially developed algorithm and data processing software. It was established that the longitudinal waves propagate from anode to cathode, the frequency and wavevector of the dust sound oscillations being dependent on the discharge current, gas pressure, particle density in the dust cloud, and spatial coordinates. Two-dimensional (2D) fields of the main wave characteristics were studied using an original algorithm. The possible mechanisms of excitation of the dust sound oscillations is discussed. The experimental spatial distributions of the wave parameters are compared to the patterns obtained within the framework of various theoretical models.