Verification of theory for plasma of finite-size particles

Some of the equilibrium properties of a one-dimensional plasma model for numerical simulation using finite-size particles (clouds) with spatial grids were investigated experimentally and compared with the theoretical predictions. Fluctuation spectrum of the electric field, correlation function, and Landau damping of the Fourier modes, drag on a particle, diffusion in velocity space, Debye shielding, wakes due to fast particles, and the frequency spectrum of the Fourier modes were measured. The experimental results give good agreement with the theoretical predictions of a kinetic theory for finite-size particles, showing the reduction of interactions at short wavelengths and, hence, reduction of collisional effects.