Numerical simulations of potential distribution for elongated insulating dust being charged by drifting plasmas.
The potential distributions surrounding elongated insulating dust grains being charged by supersonic plasma flows are studied using the particle-in-cell method. The plasma flow introduces an asymmetry in the dust charging. This leads to a complex surface charge distribution on the dust, and to ion focusing in the wake region. We demonstrate that the charge and potential distributions on the dust surface and the wake behind the dust depend on the rod length and dust inclination angle with respect to the flow. The role of the surface charge distribution in the interactions between insulating rods in a plasma is discussed. Our simulations are carried out in two spatial dimensions, treating ions and electrons as individual particles.
Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, Box 1029 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway.
W J
WJ
Miloch
S V
SV
Vladimirov
H L
HL
Pécseli
J
J
Trulsen