Analysis of waves at a dust cloud - plasma interface

For the last two decades, detailed measurements have been made of a wide variety of complex plasma waves - from compressional dust density waves to transverse dust lattice waves. However, the dynamics of these waves as they interact with the dust - plasma boundary layer is complex and many questions related to the dissipation of waves at the surface remain. This presentation reports on an analysis of microgravity and ground-based studies of waves at the dust cloud boundary layer. Particle image velocimetry measurement techniques are used to construct velocity and frequency maps of particle~motion throughout the cloud and at the surface. The analysis suggests that the source of the waves is near the center of the cloud -- most likely, the void boundary.