Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Plasma is gas of charged and neutral particles that exhibit collective behaviour. Studies of dusty plasma associated phenomena are known to have applications in many astrophysical environments, laboratory environments and in industrial plasma systems. Presence of dust particles in plasma invariably changes their behaviour and become dominant in terms of energy and momentum transport.The most prominent of these techniques are the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV). Dust structures and motion of dust particles in plasma are studied in the laboratory by making optical measurements using the scattering of laser light.Taking a sequence of image is one of the most important methods of diagnosing dusty plasma. Understand the motion of the dust particles is also very important from the point of view of controlled nuclear fusion. Presence of dust in controlled nuclear fusion reactor is not desired and large amount of dust is expected to be produced in thermonuclear reactor, hence understanding the behaviour of dust particles in plasma and its efficient removal from the reactor will be useful from the point of view of controlled nuclear fusion. It holds the promise of potentially limitless and clean energy. This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of the various techniques discussed in these research papers and attempts to qualify them based on their approach, accuracy of results, ease of implementation and critical shortcomings.
Keywords: Dusty Plasma, Nuclear Fusion, PIV, PTV