Self-excited motions in dusty plasmas with gradient of charge of macroparticles

Abstract

Various self-excited motions in dusty plasmas involving spatial variations of macroparticle charge are considered. Two basic types of instabilities in these systems are examined numerically and analytically. The main attention is given to the vortex motions of macroparticles. Conditions suitable for creating the instabilities examined are discussed. Experimental observations of self-excited oscillations in dc-glow, and capacitive rf, discharges are presented. It is shown that spatial variation of dust charge can account for many phenomena observed in inhomogeneous laboratory dusty plasmas.