Excitation of progressing dust ionization waves on PK-4 facility

We report observation of the dust ionization waves (DIWs) excited by an external oscillating electric field on the Plasma Kristall-4 facility under microgravity conditions. It is shown that at the smallest excitation amplitude, the waves are linear, and the dispersion relation can be deduced from the experimental data. The microparticle oscillations are represented as a superposition of two longitudinal waves propagating in the opposite directions. In the investigated range of excitation frequency, the wavenumber is not directly proportional to the frequency, and the phase velocity is almost proportional to the frequency. We propose an interpretation of DIW assuming that the microparticle effect on the recombination rate rather than the microparticle subsystem compressibility is responsible for the wave propagation. The calculated phase velocity of DIW is compatible with the experimental one.

Automated summary

The dust ionization waves (DIWs) excited by an external oscillating electric field have been observed on the Plasma Kristall-4 facility under microgravity conditions. It was found that at the smallest excitation amplitude, the waves are linear, and the dispersion relation can be deduced from the experimental data. The interpretation of DIW assumes that the microparticle effect on the recombination rate is responsible for the wave propagation, and the calculated phase velocity of DIW is compatible with the experimental one.