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We have performed experimental and theoretical investigation of the formation and behavior of Coulomb clusters of charged diamagnetic particles in a cusp magnetic trap under microgravity conditions aboard the International Space Station. Graphite particles of 100-400 μm in size were used in experiments due to the highest specific magnetic susceptibility. We have observed the formation of clusters in the shape of an oblate ellipsoid of revolution and their oscillations after dynamical action by changing the magnetic field. Observing the excitation and damping of oscillations we have made some estimations. Molecular dynamics simulations of the observed processes have been made. Their results are in reasonable agreement with experiments. Some differences are evidently due to some unaccounted-for reasons.

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For confinement and investigation of strongly coupled systems of charged macroparticles, we propose to use a trap based on the known possibility of the levitation of diamagnetic bodies in a nonuniform steady-state magnetic field. An experimental setup is described, which is capable of forming and confining clusters of charge graphite particles sized 100 to 300 μm in magnetic field B∼1 T and |∇B| ∼ 10 T/cm. It is inferred that it will be possible to form stable 3D structures containing several thousands macroparticles under terrestrial conditions by using fields B>10 T, and under microgravity conditions by using fields B∼0.1 T.

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