Ultrahigh charging of dust particles in a nonequilibrium plasma

Charging of dust particles in a plasma with the two-temperature energy distribution of electrons has been studied. It has been shown that the dust-particle potential divided by the electron temperature decreases with increasing electron temperature in the plasma with cold ions. Owing to this behavior, the potential of the dustparticle surface increases with the electron temperature more slowly than the linear function and is lower than the electron temperature (divided by the elementary charge) for T _e > 5.5 eV in hydrogen and for T _e > 240 eV in argon. The fraction of fast electrons at which these electrons begin to contribute to the charge of dust particles has been determined. It has been shown that the charge of micron particles can reach 10⁶ elementary charges. The effect of the cold and thermal field emission on the charge of dust particles has been analyzed. The possibility of obtaining ultrahigh charges (to 10⁷ elementary charges on dust particles with a radius of 50–100 μm irradiated by a 25-keV 1-mA electron beam has been demonstrated.     

Hybrid computer simulations: electrical charging of dust particles in low-temperature plasma

This paper is focused on the study of the electrical charging process of micron-sized particles immersed into low-temperature argon plasma by the methods of computer modelling. The hybrid computer simulations are performed for a set of particles with the radius up to in order to determine the dependence of the electric charge on the surface of the particulate on its radius. This dependence seems to be linear. The distribution of the electric potential in the vicinity of the particulate is obtained from the fluid model. Afterwards, the non self-consistent particle simulation is performed in order to determine both the reaction rates and the electric charge on the surface of the particulate. The most important collision processes of charged particles in plasma and the appropriate dependence of the collision cross-section on the particle energy are considered (elastic scattering of electrons on neutrals, excitation of neutrals into all important energetic states, ionisation of Argon atoms by fast electrons, elastic scattering of positively charged ions etc.). The presented algorithm provides an effective way, how the key quantity in dusty plasma physics – electric charge on the surface of the particulate – can be determined.     

Effect of radiation on dust particles in orbital resonances

The effect of electromagnetic radiation on the dynamics of arbitrarily shaped cosmic dust particles is investigated. The paper concentrates on the motion of dust grains near commensurability resonances with a planet—mean-motion resonances—and possible capture of the grains in the resonances. A particle is in resonance with a planet when the ratio of the mean motions of the two objects is a ratio of two small integers.

The most fundamental properties of the orbital evolution of spherical dust particles in the mean-motion resonances are shortly rederived: the solar wind effect is also included and the existing result is improved. The results for spherical particles are compared with the detailed numerical calculations for nonspherical particles. It is shown that the fundamental results valid for spherical grains do not hold, in general, for nonspherical particles. While spherical particles are always characterized by the secular decrease of the semi-major axes near mean-motion resonances, this may not be true for nonspherical particles. Nonspherical grains may exhibit an increase of the semi-major axes before capturing in the mean-motion resonances. This is caused by the effect of electromagnetic radiation on nonspherical dust grains. The eccentricities of spherical particles in the exterior resonances approach a limiting value, but nonspherical grains may not follow this behaviour. The interior resonances are characterized by a systematic decrease of eccentricity for spheres, but various behaviours exist in the case of irregularly shaped particles.

The motion of a nonspherical dust particle under the action of electromagnetic radiation may be characterized by a small change of the semi-major axis during a long-time interval, but the particle is not captured in any mean-motion resonance. This kind of motion does not exist for spherical grains.     

Bipolar diffusion charging of high-aspect ratio aerosols

Recent studies have raised concerns over applicability of the conventional charging theories to non-spherical particles such as soot aggregates and single-walled carbon nanotube aerosols of complex shape and morphology. It is expected that the role of particle structure and shape on particle diffusion charging characteristics may be significant in the submicron size range for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanofibers (CNFs). In this study, we report experimental data on equilibrium charging characteristics of high-aspect ratio aerosol particles such as CNFs and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) when exposed to a bipolar ion atmosphere. A neutral fraction was measured, i.e., the fraction of particles carrying no electrical charge. A differential mobility analyzer (DMA) was used to classify aerosols, leaving a bipolar radioactive charger to infer the bipolar charging characteristics at different mobility diameters in the submicron size range. The measured neutral fractions for CNF aerosol particles were lower than the corresponding Boltzmann values by 24.4%, 42.0%, and 45.8% for mobility diameters of 400 nm, 600 nm, and 700 nm, respectively, while the neutral fractions for measured aerodynamic diameters of 221 nm, 242 nm, and 254 nm were much lower than those expected by Boltzmann charge distribution, by 43.8%, 63.1%, and 67.3%, respectively. Neutral fractions of spherical particles of polystyrene latex (PSL) and diethylhexyl sebacate (DEHS) particles, measured under identical experimental conditions and procedure, agreed well with the Boltzmann charge distribution. The measured neutral fractions for MWCNT aerosol particles were lower than the corresponding Boltzmann values by 22.3%–25.0% for mobility diameters in the size range from 279 nm to 594 nm. Charging-equivalent diameters of CNF particles correlated well with either mobility diameter or equal-area diameter, which were found to be larger than their mobility or equal-area diameters by up to a factor of 5 in the size range of 400 nm–700 nm, while those of MWCNT particles were larger than the corresponding diameters by a factor of 2 in the size range of 279 nm–594 nm.     

Shock-compressed metal-insulator-metal structures under the action of fast dust particles

Numerical modeling of the high-speed collision of a solid particle with a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure is carried out. The processes of ionization and diffusion of atoms and ions into the insulator during the collision are analyzed. A model describing steady glow of the MIM structure after its collision with fast particles is proposed.     

Motion of nonspherical dust particle under the action of electromagnetic radiation

Equation of motion of realistically shaped particle in the circumstellar dust shell is derived under the action of electromagnetic radiation including the gravity of central body. The effect is considered to the accuracy , where is particle's velocity in a given inertial frame of reference and c is the speed of light. Equation of motion is expressed in terms of particle's optical properties, standardly used in optics for stationary particles.

Application to nonspherical dust particle in the Solar System with initial orbital elements identical to those of comet Encke is presented as an example. It is shown that the motion of nonspherical submicron- and small micron-sized particle may significantly differ from the motion for spherical particle of an identical volume.     

量子尘埃等离子体中尘埃充电对尘埃声波的影响

采用流体动力学方程组和尘埃充电方程组成的自洽模型系统,对量子尘埃等离子体中的尘埃声波波动性质进行了研究。通过线性理论分析方法得到系统的尘埃声波波动方程及其色散关系,并对色散关系进行了数值分析。研究表明：充电效应定性地修正了尘埃声波的色散特性,引起尘埃声波的耗散,其耗散强度主要与尘埃等离子体的参数有关。最后,分析了引起尘埃声波耗散的物理原因。     

量子尘埃等离子体中尘埃充电对尘埃声波的影响

采用流体动力学方程组和尘埃充电方程组成的自洽模型系统,对量子尘埃等离子体中的尘埃声波波动性质进行了研究。通过线性理论分析方法得到系统的尘埃声波波动方程及其色散关系,并对色散关系进行了数值分析。研究表明:充电效应定性地修正了尘埃声波的色散特性,引起尘埃声波的耗散,其耗散强度主要与尘埃等离子体的参数有关。最后,分析了引起尘埃声波耗散的物理原因。     

Multipoint radiation induced ignition of dust explosions: turbulent clustering of particles and increased transparency

Understanding the causes and mechanisms of large explosions, especially dust explosions, is essential for minimising devastating hazards in many industrial processes. It is known that unconfined dust explosions begin as primary (turbulent) deflagrations followed by a devastating secondary explosion. The secondary explosion may propagate with a speed of up to 1000 m/s producing overpressures of over 8–10 atm, which is comparable with overpressures produced in detonation. Since detonation is the only established theory that allows rapid burning producing a high pressure that can be sustained in open areas, the generally accepted view was that the mechanism explaining the high rate of combustion in dust explosions is deflagration-to-detonation transition. In the present work we propose a theoretical substantiation of an alternative mechanism explaining the origin of the secondary explosion producing high speeds of combustion and high overpressures in unconfined dust explosions. We show that the clustering of dust particles in a turbulent flow ahead of the advancing flame front gives rise to a significant increase of the thermal radiation absorption length. This effect ensures that clusters of dust particles are exposed to and heated by radiation from hot combustion products of dust explosions for a sufficiently long time to become multi-point ignition kernels in a large volume ahead of the advancing flame. The ignition times of a fuel–air mixture caused by radiatively heated clusters of particles is considerably reduced compared with the ignition time caused by an isolated particle. Radiation-induced multipoint ignitions of a large volume of fuel–air ahead of the primary flame efficiently increase the total flame area, giving rise to the secondary explosion, which results in the high rates of combustion and overpressures required to account for the observed level of overpressures and damage in unconfined dust explosions, such as for example the 2005 Buncefield explosion and several vapour cloud explosions of severity similar to that of the Buncefield incident.     

Measurement of dust grain charging in a laboratory plasma

The authors present an experimental system capable of causing dust grains to interact with a plasma in a well-controlled manner and measuring the accumulated charge. Results indicate that the measured charge accumulated on 0.1 μm diameter bismuth particles agrees to the first order with simple charging models. With further refinement of the diagnostic system, it is expected that detailed comparisons can be made with existing models     

Photoresistors for ultraviolet radiation

The UV is converted to visible light with a phosphor (magnesium arsenate, halophosphate, or magnesium fluorosilicate), which works into a CdS photoresistor. This gives large currents with erythemal and bactericidal lamps, which provides the basis for convenient and portable equipment.We are indebted to F. Pekerman and R. Andreichin for assistance in this work.     

Vacuum ultraviolet radiation source

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 54, No. 3, pp. 509–512, March, 1991.     

Coulomb scatter of diamagnetic dust particles in a cusp magnetic trap under microgravity conditions

The effect of a dc electric field on strongly nonideal Coulomb systems consisting of a large number (~10⁴) of charged diamagnetic dust particles in a cusp magnetic trap are carried out aboard the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) within the Coulomb Crystal experiment. Graphite particles of 100–400 μm in size are used in the experiments. Coulomb scatter of a dust cluster and the formation of threadlike chains of dust particles are observed experimentally. The processes observed are simulated by the molecular dynamics (MD) method.     

Measurement of the charging of individual dust grains in a plasma

An experiment is described for investigating the charging of dust grains in a plasma. The apparatus is a double plasma device into which single dust grains are dropped from the top. The dust charge is detected and measured by a sensitive electrometer attached to a Faraday cup on the bottom. Experiments with electrons from the emissive filaments but without plasma indicate that the grains charge to approximately the filament potential for filament bias voltages smaller in absolute value than -70 V. The charge is of order 10⁶ electrons for SiC grains 30-150 μm in diameter. At higher bias voltage the charge is reduced due to secondary emission. The charge on grains increases with grain size and is nearly independent of the filament emission current. With plasma in the device, the grains charge both positively and negatively