Dynamics of dust particles in the glow discharge stratum in crossed E x B field

In this work, the dynamic behaviour of micron-sized dust particles suspended in the glow discharge stratum at low pressure in the crossed magnetic and electric fields was experimentally studied. The observations showed that the dust particles move in the direction opposite to the ExB drift with increasing magnetic field induction. When the magnetic field induction reaches a threshold point (B > 10 mT), the dust particles begin to rotate, forming pair of counter-rotating vortex in the horizontal plane. It was also found that the shape of the dust structures changes from a disk shape to an ellipsoid shape. The dynamic behaviour of the dust vortices was analysed using the PIV (particle image velocimetry) method. The quantitative explanation of the generation of the co-vortex rotation observed in the experiment was explained on the basis of the charge gradient of the dust particles, which was orthogonal to the ion drag force.

Automated summary

In this study, the dynamic behavior of micron-sized dust particles suspended in the glow discharge stratum under crossed magnetic and electric fields at low pressure was experimentally investigated. The results demonstrated that as the magnetic field induction increased, the dust particles moved in the opposite direction of the ExB drift and formed rotating counter-rotating vortices on the horizontal plane when the induction reached a threshold point (B > 10 mT). Additionally, the shape of the dust structures transformed from disks to ellipsoids. The dynamic behavior of the dust vortices was analyzed using particle image velocimetry (PIV) method, and the generation of co-vortex rotation was quantitatively explained based on the orthogonal charge gradient of the dust particles to the ion drag force.