Ring dust structures in a weak inhomogeneous magnetic field

Abstract

Experimental results on the influence of an external inhomogeneous magnetic field created in the end areas of the coil on the dynamics of a ring‐shaped dust structure in a stratified glow discharge in argon are presented. The rotational behaviour of the ring was investigated at different magnetic fields in the range up to 16 mT. It was found that the direction of rotational motion of dust particles in an inhomogeneous magnetic field depends on the direction of its radial component. A theoretical model was proposed to explain the experimental observations.