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 language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3649-3652 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical review letters |
Volume | 83 |
Issue number | 18 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 1999 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Physics and Astronomy