Influence of grain charge gradients on the dynamics of macroparticles in an electrostatic trap

Abstract

An analytical model of anomalous heating of charged dust grains (macroparticles) caused by their stochastic motion in a bounded plasma volume is proposed. Analytical expressions allowing one to describe the pumping (heating) of interacting grains with additional stochastic energy due to grain charge gradients are derived. The analytical results are verified by numerical simulation of the problem. It is shown that spatial variations in the charges of dust grains can lead to their anomalous heating in laboratory plasma.