Dust negative ion acoustic shock waves in a dusty multi-ion plasma

A dusty multi-ion plasma system containing electrons, light positive ions, heavy negative ions, and extremely massive (few micron size) charge fluctuating dust has been considered. The dust negative ion acoustic (DNIA) shock waves, which are associated with negative ion dynamics and dust charge fluctuation, have been investigated by employing the reductive perturbation method. It has been shown that the dust charge fluctuation is a source of dissipation, and is responsible for the formation of such DNIA shock structures. The basic features of such DNIA shock structures have been identified. The implications of our results in laboratory dusty multi-ion plasmas have been discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.