Ordering of dust particles in dusty plasmas under microgravity

Abstract

Structure formation of dust particles in dusty plasmas under microgravity has been simulated by the molecular dynamics method. It is shown that, at low temperatures, dust particles are organized into layered spherical shells. The number of shells is a function of the system size and the strength of screening by ambient plasma particles, while the dependency on the latter is much weaker. In the simulation, the condition of the charge neutrality satisfied by the system of dust particles and plasma particles is properly taken into account.