DYNAMICS OF A MAGNETIZED GRAVITATING DUSTY PLASMA

Linear stability of a magnetized dusty plasma is studied for the regim e with Gm(d)(2)/q(d)(2) approximate to 1 (where G is the universal gra vitational constant, m(d) is the grain d mass and q(d) is the grain ch arge). We demonstrate that the magnetic force plays a stabilizing role and, together with electrostatic repulsion, counters gravitational co ndensation. The implications of this result for astrophysical situatio ns are briefly discussed.