Gravitational instability with dust charge gradient and ion drag forces in unmagnetized dusty plasma

The influence of dust charge gradient force and ion drag force on the fragmentation of unmagnetized, self-gravitating dust cloud has been studied. The thermal electrons satisfy the Boltzmann relation, while inertialess ions are affected by the ion-neutral collisions. The dynamics of dusty fluid are modified by ion drag, charge gradient, and gravitational forces. The onset criterion of pinching instability and gravitational instability is derived. The pinching instability depends upon the critical ion drag coefficient and dust charge variation parameter. In the laboratory complex plasma, with finite dust charge variations, the ion drag coefficient larger than the critical value causes pinching instability. This results in the fragmentation of the dusty cloud, which is affected due to the dust charge variations. The ion drag coefficient has destabilizing, while the dust charge variation parameter has stabilizing influence on the growth rate of the linear gravitational instability. The results have been discussed to understand the dust cloud collapse in the astrophysical system.

Automated summary

The study reveals the significant influence of ion drag and dust charge gradient forces on the fragmentation of unmagnetized, self-gravitating dust clouds, with previous theoretical foundations being altered.