Elliptical dust growth in astrophysical plasmas

Free access article

Issue		A&A Volume 457, Number 2, October II 2006


Page(s)		365 - 370
Section		Astrophysical processes
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20064922

A&A 457, 365-370 (2006)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20064922

Elliptical dust growth in astrophysical plasmas

C. R. Stark, H. E. Potts and D. A. Diver

Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK
e-mail: craig@astro.gla.ac.uk

(Received 27 January 2006 / Accepted 27 June 2006)

Abstract
Elongated dust grains exist in astrophysical plasmas. Anisotropic growth of elliptical dust grains, via plasma deposition, occurs if the deposited ions are non-inertial. In reality the extent of such growth depends upon the initial kinetic energy of the ions and the magnitude of the electric field in the sheath. Simulations of the dynamics of the ions in the sheath are reported, showing how elliptical growth is related to the initial eccentricity and size of the seed relative to the sheath length. Consequences for the eventual fate of elliptical dust are then discussed.

Key words: circumstellar matter -- plasmas -- dust, extinction

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