Ambipolar electrostatic field in negatively charged dusty plasma

• We study the effect of negatively charged dust on the magnetic-field-aligned polarisation electrostatic field (E-parallel to) using Cassini's RPWS/LP in situ measurements during the `ring-grazing' orbits. We derive a general expression for E-parallel to and estimate for the first time in situ parallel to E-parallel to parallel to (approximately 10(-5) V m(-1)) near the Janus and Epimetheus rings. We further demonstrate that the presence of the negatively charged dust close to the ring plane (vertical bar Z vertical bar less than or similar to 0.11 R-s) amplifies parallel to E-parallel to parallel to by at least one order of magnitude and reverses its direction due to the effect of the charged dust gravitational and inertial forces. Such reversal confines the electrons at the magnetic equator within the dusty region, around 0.047 R-s above the ring plane. Furthermore, we discuss the role of the collision terms, in particular the ion-dust drag force, in amplifying E-parallel to. These results imply that the charged dust, as small as nanometres in size, can have a significant influence on the plasma transport, in particular ambipolar diffusion along the magnetic field lines, and so their presence must be taken into account when studying such dynamical processes.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Fusion, plasma och rymdfysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

dusty plasmas

space plasma physics

astrophysical plasmas

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)