Parametric instability of dust lattice waves in a turbulent plasma sheath

It is shown that dust lattice waves (DLWs) become parametrically unstable in a turbulent dusty plasma sheath that contains random-phase ion plasma waves. Physically, the parametric instability arises because of the nonlinear coupling between ion plasma waves and DLWs. The parametric instability is identified as the possible reason for the observed "sublimation" transition of the plasma crystal from a solid to a gaslike state.