Control and Application of Particle Transport in Dusty Plasmas

Auburn University, Auburn AL

Investigators

Abstract

In a dusty plasma, the usual ion-electron-neutral plasma is modified by the presence of a third charged species, charged microparticles or "dust". These microparticles can range in size from tens of nanometers to a few millimeters in diameter and can become very highly charged and form two- and three-dimensional clouds that can modify the bulk properties of the surrounding plasma. This research addresses two aspects of plasma dust clouds, the particle cloud-plasma interface and the thermodynamics of the microparticles. These will be explored using novel microparticle control techniques and a combination of two- and three-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) diagnostic systems