Low-frequency dispersion properties of plasmas with variable-charge impurities

A theory of low-frequency dust-acoustic waves in low-temperature collisiona l plasmas containing variable-charge impurities is presented. Physical proc esses such as dust-charge relaxation, ionization-recombination of the elect rons and ions, electron and ion elastic collisions with neutrals and dusts, as well as charging collisions with the dusts, are taken into account. Inc lusion of these processes allows a balance of the plasma particles and thus a self-consistent determination of the stationary state of the unperturbed plasma. The generalized dispersion relation describing the propagation and damping of the dust acoustic waves is derived and analyzed. (C) 2000 Ameri can Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(00)02302-8].