[en] Some peculiarities of the Earth's dusty ionosphere are considered using as an example the polar summer mesosphere. We discuss in detail growth and sedimentation of nanosized dusty/smoke particles in the upper atmosphere; the impact of nano/micro-particles optical properties on their heating and charging; for instance, it has been shown that oppositely charged dust particles may present in the polar summer mesosphere. We present a simple one-dimensional growth-sedimentation model; the model predicts the size and altitude distributions of dust particles in the mesosphere; e.g, the model predicts the bimodal size distribution of the dust particles.

[en] Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) quasi-equilibrium configurations of a complex (dusty) plasma in narrow channels are investigated using the molecular dynamics simulations for various confining potentials (confinements). The dynamics of the microparticles is described within the framework of a Langevin thermostat with allowance for the pair interaction between charged particles, which is described by a screened Coulomb potential (Yukawa potential). Two types of confinement: the parabolic electrostatic potential and hard elastic wall are considered. It is shown that the confinement strongly affects the crystallization and the local order of the microparticles in the system under consideration; in particular, the appearance of a new quasicrystalline phase induced by the hard wall confinement is revealed in 3D case.

[en] Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to analyze the dependence of the behavior of complex (dusty) plasmas in narrow three-dimensional channels on the confining potential. Dynamics of micrometer-sized particles is modeled by using Langevin thermostat and Yukawa (screened Coulomb) pair interaction potential. A detailed analysis shows that confinement strongly affects plasma crystallization characteristics and local ordering of dust grains. In particular, the formation of a new, quasi-crystalline phase induced by hard-wall confinement is revealed. Transitions between different lattice symmetries induced by changes in channel width are examined. Strong dependence of the transverse dust density profile on the shielding parameter (ratio between mean interparticle distance and screening length) can be used to manipulate the dust-grain flux in such a system

[en] A simple linear kinetic model is used to investigate the combined effect of plasma absorption and ion-neutral collisions on the electric potential around a small absorbing body in weakly ionized plasmas. It is demonstrated that far from the body the potential decays considerably slower than the conventional Debye-Hueckel potential. Moreover, at distances exceeding approximately the ion mean free path, the potential approaches an unscreened Coulomb-like asymptote. Some important consequences of this result are discussed in the context of complex (dusty) plasmas

[en] Ion collection by a small negatively biased sphere in flowing highly collisional plasmas is investigated. Ion trajectories in the vicinity of the sphere are obtained from the solution of the ion equation of motion. From the analysis of the trajectories, the total ion flux to the sphere is determined and the sphere floating potential is calculated from the balance between ion and electron fluxes. The asymmetry in ion collection by the upstream and downstream sides of the sphere is quantified. The results obtained can be important in the context of complex (dusty) plasmas, as well as in the context of probe theory

No abstract available

[en] This paper looks at Ya B Zeldovich's ideas on the combustion and detonation physics of gaseous mixtures and how they evolved as work in this field progressed. The paper demonstrates the fundamental role of Zeldovich's concept of spontaneous combustion waves in studying transient initiation processes for various combustion regimes and in determining the energy and concentration inflammation limits for combustible gaseous mixtures. It shows how his notion that flame front stretching crucially influences flame acceleration in channels explains in a new way the deflagration-to-detonation transition in highly reactive gaseous mixtures. Most of the presented results were obtained by simulations, allowing Zeldovich's ideas to be extended to the combustion of real gaseous mixtures, where chemical reactions and gasdynamical flows add hugely to the complexity of the problem. The paper concludes by using Zeldovich's mechanism to assess the amount of nitrogen oxide produced by a lightning discharge. (100th anniversary of the birth of ya b zeldovich)

[en] The effect of a levitating cloud of microparticles on the parameters of a radiofrequency (RF) plasma has been studied by means of two experimental techniques. Axial distributions of 1s excited states of argon were measured by a self-absorption method. A correction of a standard self-absorption method for the extinction of the light by the levitating microparticles is proposed. In addition the electron temperature was estimated using the optical emission spectroscopy. Measurements at the same discharge conditions in a microparticle-free discharge and discharge, containing a cloud of levitating microparticles, revealed the non-local influence of the microparticle cloud on the discharge plasma. The most probable cause of this influence is the disturbance of the ionization balance by the levitating microparticles.

[en] We report on the first three-dimensional (3D) complex plasma structure analysis for an experiment that was performed in an elongated discharge tube in the absence of striations. The low frequency discharge was established with 1 kHz alternating dc current through a cylindrical glass tube filled with neon at 30 Pa. The injected particle cloud consisted of monodisperse microparticles. A scanning laser sheet and a camera were used to determine the particle position in 3D. The observed cylindrical-shaped particle cloud showed an ordered structure with a distinct outer particle shell. The observations are in agreement with performed molecular dynamics simulations

[en] We propose a simple method to determine the local coupling strength Γ experimentally, by linking the individual particle dynamics with the local density and crystal structure of a 2D plasma crystal. By measuring particle trajectories with high spatial and temporal resolution we obtain the first maps of Γ and temperature at individual particle resolution. We employ numerical simulations to test this new method, and discuss the implications to characterize strongly coupled systems