Mach cones in a coulomb lattice and a dusty plasma

D. Samsonov, J. Goree, Z. W. Ma, A. Bhattacharjee, H. M. Thomas, G. E. Morfill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

227 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mach cones, or V-shaped disturbances created by supersonic objects, have been detected in a two-dimensional Coulomb crystal. Electrically charged microspheres levitated in a glow-discharge plasma formed a dusty plasma, with particles arranged in a hexagonal lattice in a horizontal plane. Beneath this lattice plane, a sphere moved faster than the lattice sound speed. Mach cones were double, first compressive then rarefactive, due to the strongly coupled crystalline state. Molecular dynamics simulations using a Yukawa potential also show multiple Mach cones.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3649-3652
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume83
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1999
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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