Transport properties of macroparticles in dust plasma induced by solar radiation

The paper deals with the results of experimental investigation of the dynam ic behavior of macroparticles charged by way of photoemission, under condit ions of microgravity. The experimental data have been obtained for bronze p articles subjected to solar radiation in a buffer gas at a pressure of 40 T orr (Mir space station). Different procedures for determining the transport properties of macroparticles by analyzing video records of experiments are treated. The velocity distribution, the temperature, the charge, the frict ion coefficient, and the dust particle diffusion coefficients are found. Th e results of comparing the experimental and theoretical estimates demonstra te that the dynamic behavior of macroparticles under the conditions of inve stigations are defined by the process of their ambipolar diffusion. (C) 200 1 MAIK "Nauka/ Interperiodica".