Shock wave formation in a dc glow discharge dusty plasma.

A jump of dust density propagating through the dusty plasma structure has been observed. To excite the disturbance an impulse of axial magnetic field to the dusty plasma in a dc glow discharge striation has been applied. This impulse resulted in the dynamical stretching of the dusty plasma structure.

Large-amplitude dust waves excited by the gas-dynamic impact in a dc glow discharge plasma.

A large-amplitude wave with two humps of dust density, separated by a dip was generated. To excite the wave in the dc glow discharge dusty plasma a gas-dynamic impact was used. The structure obtained had several interesting properties such as strong compression of dust in the humps, supersonic dust particles in the rarefaction zone, reconstruction of the initial dust configuration after the passing of the wave.

Dependence of the dust-particle charge on its size in a glow-discharge plasma.

Measurements of the charge of dust grains have been performed in a quasineutral plasma over a wide range of grain sizes. A new method was established for measuring the charge on grains levitating in the striations of a dc glow discharge. A single dust particle is moved out of a dust cloud with the help of a focused laser beam.