Charge-gradient instability of compressional dust lattice waves in electrorheological plasmas

Abstract

It is shown that the longitudinal dust lattice mode in the one-dimensional string of microparticles oriented along the electric field (it highlights the major aspect of the electrorheological plasmas) can be subjected to a specific charge-gradient instability, associated with inhomogeneous dust charge distribution along the string due to the ion flow. This instability leads to the spontaneous excitation of compressional waves at elevated gas pressures with implications for the electrorheological plasmas studied in the Plasmakristall-4 facility in the ground based conditions and in microgravity on board the International Space Station. The obtained results can also be relevant for the stability analysis of the laboratory multilayer plasma crystals observed in the sheath of gas discharges.