Dusty plasma of a dc glow discharge: methods of investigation and characteristic features of behavior

Results are given of experimental investigations of a dusty plasma in the strata of a dc glow discharge. Characteristic forms of plasma-dust structures formed by dust particles of spherical and highly asymmetric shapes are described. Results are given of observation of self-excited dust-acoustic waves, as well as of high-amplitude waves generated under pulsed gasdynamic stimulation. A method of measuring charges of dust particles levitating in strata is described, as well as a method of measuring the radial field of forces acting on dust particles in a plasma trap. Mention is made of methods for the investigation of plasma-dust structures under conditions of microgravity.