title: Pattern formation in a complex plasma in high magnetic fields.
abstract: Low-pressure room-temperature neon, argon, krypton, and air plasmas were studied in magnetic fields up to flux densities of 2.3 T. Filaments appeared parallel to the magnetic field lines, and patterns such as spirals and concentric circles formed in the perpendicular direction. We link these effects to the magnetization of the ions. We also used a layer of embedded microparticles as probes in the plasma. Their motion changed dramatically from a collective rotation of the whole ensemble in moderate magnetic fields to a rotation in several small vortices centered at the filaments.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, D-85748 Garching, Germany. schwabe@mpe.mpg.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwabe
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Konopka
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bandyopadhyay
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Morfill
mesh_terms: D060526:Magnetic Fields; D058626:Plasma Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D058626:Plasma Gases