Dust-Plasma Interactions

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

Dusty plasmas are ionized gases containing small charged dust particles that occur in a wide variety of cosmic and terrestrial environments. This theoretical research seeks the advancement of the basic knowledge of the collective behavior of dusty plasmas, with applications to the laboratory and space. The focus is on dusty plasmas in magnetic fields. This is a newer direction in dusty plasma research with added impetus from ongoing and upcoming experiments with larger magnetic fields. Areas of study include: (1) waves and instabilities in weakly coupled dusty plasmas in magnetic fields, where some or all of the charged particles are magnetized; (2) waves and instabilities in strongly coupled dusty plasmas, including those containing superparamagnetic dust; (3) innovative applications involving interaction with electromagnetic waves. The research covers a broad range in that it investigates the basic physics of dusty plasmas in magnetic fields, strongly coupled dusty plasmas, and potential photonics applications of dusty plasmas. The broader impacts of the research include training of students and wide dissemination of results through publications and talks. In addition, there are possible impacts on technological plasma areas (e.g., plasma processing and fusion).