arXiv subjects

Vikram Dharodi

Publications and source records attributed to Vikram Dharodi.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Gravitational Sedimentation and Rebound of Strongly Coupled Dusty Plasma Crystals: A Molecular Dynamics Study

The gravitational sedimentation of strongly coupled dusty plasma crystals is investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Initially, the dust particles are levitated by the balance between the upward external electric field and gravity. Sedimentation is initiated by removing the electric field, allowing the particles to settle collectively under gravity while interacting through the Yukawa (screened Coulomb) potential. Single-layer, AB-stacked bilayer, and ABA-stacked trilayer crystals are investigated to examine the influence of crystal geometry on the sedimentation dynamics. All crystal configurations undergo collective gravitational settling while preserving their in-plane hexagonal ordering during the initial stages of sedimentation. Upon collision with a reflecting boundary, the multilayer crystals undergo transient interlayer compression followed by sequential momentum transfer between neighboring layers, producing coherent collective rebound. In particular, the trilayer exhibits sequential layer-by-layer momentum propagation from the lower to the middle and finally to the upper layer. During successive sedimentation--rebound cycles, repeated interlayer interactions progressively degrade the initial ABA stacking while preserving the collective mechanical response of the crystal. These results demonstrate that strong Yukawa coupling enables multilayer dusty plasma crystals to sustain repeated impacts while maintaining coherent collective motion despite gradual structural evolution. The present study provides a particle-resolved description of gravitational sedimentation in multilayer dusty plasma crystals and offers a theoretical framework for interpreting laboratory experiments following the removal of electrostatic confinement.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2026

Vortex Dipole Evolution in Viscoelastic Media: Effects of Asymmetry, Coupling, and Transverse Shear Waves

The dynamics of a Lamb-Oseen vortex dipole in a viscoelastic fluid are investigated, with emphasis on asymmetry, coupling strength, and transverse shear waves relevant to strongly coupled dusty plasmas. Dusty plasmas provide a natural realization of strongly coupled VE behavior, where transverse shear modes dominate in the incompressible limit. Numerical simulations are carried out using the incompressible generalized hydrodynamic model for both symmetric and asymmetric dipoles, with variations in vortex core size, circulation strength, and separation distance. In the symmetric case, dipoles exhibit sustained translational motion, with propagation speed decreasing as the initial separation distance increases, consistent with inviscid predictions. In contrast, asymmetric configurations-arising from unequal core radii or circulation strengths-lead to rotational motion due to imbalance in induced velocities, with the weaker vortex orbiting the stronger one. Viscoelasticity introduces transverse shear waves whose strength and propagation speed increase with coupling. In weakly coupled regimes, their influence is minor, while in moderately coupled regimes they modify propagation and induce deformation. In strongly coupled regimes, transverse shear waves significantly enhance vortex-vortex interaction, accelerating strain-induced deformation and leading to rapid dissipation of the weaker vortex. The evolution also satisfies the conservation theorem, where the contributions from convective, radiative, and dissipative processes dynamically compensate each other, maintaining global balance throughout the dynamics. These results provide insight into wave-vortex coupling in complex fluids, with implications for transport processes and structure formation in strongly coupled plasmas and other viscoelastic media.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

A numerical study of gravity-driven instability in strongly coupled dusty plasma. Part 3: Homo-interaction between a pair of rising/falling bubbles/droplets

A numerical study of the homo-interactions between two falling droplets and between two rising bubbles in a strongly coupled dusty plasma medium is presented in this article. This strongly coupled dusty plasma is considered as a viscoelastic fluid using the generalized hydrodynamic fluid model formalism. Two factors that affect homo-interactions are taken into account: the initial spacing and the coupling strength of the medium. Three different spacings between two droplets are simulated: widely, medium, and closely. In each case, the coupling strength has been given as mild-strong and strong. It is shown that the overall dynamic is governed by the competition between the acceleration of two droplets/bubbles due to gravity and the interaction due to the closeness of the droplets/bubbles. Especially in viscoelastic fluids, the closeness between two droplets/bubbles, aside from their initial separation, at a later time may result from shear waves that emerge from rotating vorticies. For widely-spaced, unlike classical hydrodynamic fluids, we find that shear waves in viscoelastic fluids facilitate the pairing between two bubbles/droplets. In the case of medium-spaced, the two new dipoles of unequal strength blobs exhibit a circular motion and exchange their partners. For closely-spaced, the droplet/bubble fall/rise is suppressed as the coupling strength of the medium increases. Numerous two-dimensional simulations have been carried out. This work is a continuation of the work done in parts I (V. S. Dharodi and A. Das, J. Plasma Phys. 87 (02), 905870216 (2021)) and II (V. S. Dharodi, J. Plasma Phys. 87 (04), 905870402 (2021)).

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

Vortex merging in strongly coupled dusty plasmas using a visco-elastic fluid model

This work is a numerical study of the two-dimensional merging phenomena between two Lamb-Oseen co-rotating vortices in a viscoelastic fluid. We use a generalized hydrodynamics fluid model to study vortex merging in a strongly coupled dusty plasma medium, which exhibits characteristics similar to a viscoelastic fluid. Several aspects influencing the merging phenomena are considered: the aspect ratio (core size/separation distance), the relative circulation strengths of each vortex, and the coupling strength of the medium. Unlike classical hydrodynamic fluids, we find that for viscoelastic fluids, shear waves facilitate the merging events even for widely separated vortices. The merging process is accelerated in media with higher coupling strengths, but the resultant vortex shape decays more quickly as well. It is also found that varying either the vortex scale or the vortex circulation strength can result in a similar merging process, where a smaller (larger) vortex acts like a vortex with weaker (stronger) circulation. Finally, we show that a Poynting-like conservation theorem is satisfied for the examined merging processes.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2023

Ring structural transitions in strongly coupled dusty plasmas

This paper presents a numerical study of ring structural transitions in strongly coupled dusty plasma confined in a ring-shaped (quartic) potential well with a central barrier, whose axis of symmetry is parallel to the gravitational attraction. It is observed that increasing the amplitude of the potential leads to a transition from a ring monolayer structure (rings of different diameters nested within the same plane) to a cylindrical shell structure (rings of similar diameter aligned in parallel planes). In the cylindrical shell state, the rings alignment in the vertical plane exhibits hexagonal symmetry. The ring transition is reversible, but exhibits hysteresis in the initial and final particle positions. As the critical conditions for the transitions are approached, the transitional structure states exhibit zigzag instabilities or asymmetries on the ring alignment. Furthermore, for a fixed amplitude of the quartic potential that results in a cylinder-shaped shell structure, we show that additional rings in the cylindrical shell structure can be formed by decreasing the curvature of the parabolic potential well, whose axis of symmetry is perpendicular to the gravitational force, increasing the number density, and lowering the screening parameter. Finally, we discuss the application of these findings to dusty plasma experiments with ring electrodes and weak magnetic fields.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2022

Signatures of an energetic charge bunch moving in a plasma

A charge bunch moving in a plasma can excite a variety of linear and nonlinear waves in the form of trailing wakes, fore-wake shocks and precursor solitons. These structures can further interact with the background plasma to create secondary effects that can serve as signatures of the passage of the charge bunch. Using particle-in-cell simulations we investigate in detail the dynamics of a plasma system that is being traversed by an energetic charged ion bunch. Using two different shapes of the charge source, namely, an idealized one dimensional line source and a two dimensional thin rectangular source we examine the differences in the nature of the excited wave structures and their consequent impact on the background plasma. Our simulations reveal interesting features such as the dependence of the precursor speeds on the total charge of the ion bunch, local particle trapping, and energization of the trapped ions in various regions along the traversal path leading to the formation of energetic ion beam-lets. The collective excitations and the signatures in the ambient plasma could prove useful in practical applications such as in ion beam heating of plasmas. They can also help in analysing the trajectories of charged objects like space debris orbiting in the ionosphere.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2021

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in strongly coupled dusty plasma with rotational shear flows and tracer transport

Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability plays a significant role in transport and mixing properties of any medium. In this paper, we numerically explore this instability for a two-dimensional strongly coupled dusty plasma with rotational shear flows. We study this medium using generalized hydrodynamic fluid model which treats it as viscoelastic fluid. We consider the specific cases of rotating vorticity with abrupt radial profiles of rotation. In particular: single-circulation, and multi-circulation vorticity shell profiles have been chosen. We observe the KH vortices at each circular interface between two relative rotating flows along with a pair of ingoing and outgoing wavefronts of transverse shear waves. Our studies show that due to the interplay between KH vortices and shear waves in the strongly coupled medium, the mixing and transport behaviour are much better than inviscid hydrodynamic fluids. In interests of substantiating the mixing and transport behaviour, the generalized hydrodynamic fluid model is extended to include the Lagrangian tracer particles. The numerical dispersion of these tracer particles in a flow provides an estimate of the diffusion in such a medium. We present the preliminary observations of tracers distribution (cluster formation) and their diffusion (mean square displacement) across the medium.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2015

Sub and super-luminar propagation of structures satisfying Poynting like theorem for incompressible GHD fluid model depicting strongly coupled dusty plasma medium

The strongly coupled dusty plasma has often been modelled by the Generalized Hydrodynamic (GHD) model used for representing visco-elastic fluid systems. The incompressible limit of the model which supports transverse shear wave mode is studied in detail. In particular dipole structures are observed to emit transverse shear waves in both the limits of sub and super - luminar propagation, where the structures move slower and faster than the phase velocity of the shear waves, respectively. In the sub - luminar limit the dipole gets engulfed within the shear waves emitted by itself, which then backreacts on it and ultimately the identity of the structure is lost. However, in the super - luminar limit the emission appears like a wake from the tail region of the dipole. The dipole, however, keeps propagating forward with little damping but minimal distortion in its form. A Poynting like conservation law with radiative, convective and dissipative terms being responsible for the evolution of W , which is similar to `enstrophy' like quantity in normal hydrodynamic fluid systems, has also been constructed for the incompressible GHD equations. The conservation law is shown to be satisfied in all the cases of evolution and collision amidst the nonlinear structures to a great accuracy. It is shown that monopole structures which do not move at all but merely radiate shear waves, the radiative term and dissipative losses solely contribute to the evolution of W. The, dipolar structures, on the other hand, propagate in the medium and hence convection also plays an important role in the evolution of W.

physics.plasm-ph↗