title: Particle flows in a dc discharge in laboratory and microgravity conditions.
abstract: We describe a series of experiments on dust particles' flows in a positive column of a horizontal dc discharge operating in laboratory and microgravity conditions. The main observation is that the particle flow velocities in laboratory experiments are systematically higher than in microgravity experiments for otherwise identical discharge conditions. The paper provides an explanation for this interesting and unexpected observation. The explanation is based on a physical model, which properly takes into account main plasma-particle interaction mechanisms relevant to the described experimental study. A comparison of experimentally measured particle velocities and those calculated using the proposed model demonstrates reasonable agreement, both in laboratory and microgravity conditions, in the entire range of discharge parameters investigated.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik, D-85741 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khrapak
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Thoma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaudhuri
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Morfill
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Zobnin
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Usachev
authors.forename: O F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Fortov