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arXiv · 1111.2878

The effect of dust charge variation, due to ion flow and electron depletion, on dust levitation

Victor Land·Angela Douglass·Ke Qiao·Lorin Matthews·Truell Hyde
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Abstract

Using a fluid model, the plasma densities, electron temperature and ion Mach number in front of a powered electrode in different plasma discharges is computed. The dust charge is computed using OML theory for Maxwellian electrons and ions distributed according to a shifted-Maxwellian. By assuming force balance between gravity and the electrostatic force, the dust levitation height is obtained. The importance of the dust charge variation is investigated.

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Victor Land, Angela Douglass, Ke Qiao, Lorin Matthews, Truell Hyde. 2011-11-11. The effect of dust charge variation, due to ion flow and electron depletion, on dust levitation. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3659747

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