Published March 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

Screening of a moving charge in a nonequilibrium plasma

  • 1. Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Fusion Research (Russian Federation)
  • 2. National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics (Ukraine)
  • 3. Taras Shevchenko Kiev National University (Ukraine)

Description

Based on the model of point sinks, we consider the problem on the screening of the charge of a moving macroparticle in a nonequilibrium plasma. The characteristic formation times of the polarization cloud around such a macroparticle have been determined by the method of a three-dimensional integral Fourier transformation in spatial variables and a Laplace transformation in time. The screening effect is shown to be enhanced with increasing macroparticle velocity. We consider the applicability conditions for the model of point sinks and establish that the domain of applicability of the results obtained expands with decreasing gas ionization rate and macroparticle size. We consider the problem of charge screening at low velocities and establish that the stationary potential of the moving charge has a dipole component that becomes dominant at large distances. We show that the direction of the force exerted on the dust particle by the induced charges generally depends on the relationship between the transport and loss coefficients of the plasma particles in a plasma. When the Langevin ion recombination coefficient βiL = 4πeμi exceeds the electron-ion recombination coefficient βei, this force will accelerate the dust particles in the presence of sinks. In the absence of sinks or when βei > βiL, this force will be opposite in direction to the dust particle velocity. We also consider the problem on the energy and force of interaction between a moving charged macroparticle and the induced charges

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics
Journal Volume
108
Journal Issue
3
Journal Page Range
p. 497-515
ISSN
1063-7761
CODEN
JTPHES

Optional Information

Copyright
Copyright (c) 2009 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.