Nonlinear Phenomena and Self-Organization in Dusty Plasmas

Experiments with extended three-dimensional dusty plasmas under microgravity conditions were performed to study the complex wave pattern of self-excited dust-density waves and its interaction with the plasma. The simultaneous observation of the dust-density fluctuations and the plasma glow revealed that the observed wave phenomenon affects the plasma in the complete discharge. In particular, our investigations suggest, that self-excited dust-density waves are the product of a self-organized system consisting of the dust cloud, the plasma, and the external circuit. The complex wave pattern is a consequence of partial synchronization of neighboring regions inside the dust cloud and can be modeled by a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators.