Dust acoustic shock wave generation due to dust charge variation in a dusty plasma

Abstract

In a dusty plasma, the non-adiabaticity of the charge variation on a dust grain surface results in an anomalous dissipation. Analytical investigation shows that this results in a small but finite amplitude dust acoustic (DA) wave propagation which is described by the Korteweg-de Vries-Burger equation. Results of the numerical investigation of the propagation of large-amplitude dust acoustic stationary shock wave are presented here using the complete set of non-linear dust fluid equations coupled with the dust charging equation and Poisson equation. The DA waves are of compressional type showing considerable increase of dust density, which is of significant importance in astrophysical context as it leads to enhanced gravitational attraction considered as a viable process for star formation. The DA shock transition to its far downstream amplitude is oscillatory in nature due to dust charge fluctuations, the oscillation amplitude and shock width depending on the ratioω _pd/V_ch and other plasma parameters