Electron-drift driven ion-acoustic mode in a dusty plasma with collisional effects

Abstract

Instabilities of ion-acoustic waves in a dusty plasma with electron-drift, collisional, and dust charge fluctuations effects, have been investigated. The regimes are clearly marked out where the theory is applicable. The critical electron-drift velocity required to drive the instability is predicted. It is also shown that electron thermal conductivity and charged grains concentration enhance the growth of the ion-acoustic mode whereas ion-viscosity, ion-thermal conductivity, and dust charge fluctuations have a stabilizing effect.

7 pages, 3 PS-LaTeX figures (to be published in Physics of Plasmas)