Higher order structure in a complex plasma

Abstract

The direct experimental determination of the 3-point static structure function S(3)(k1, k2, k0) of a 2-dimensional dusty plasma liquid is presented. The measurements are complemented by molecular dynamics simulations of the system, using parameters (dust charge, plasma frequency, coupling and screening coefficients), which are derived from the experimentally obtained 2-point static structure function S(2), as well as the dynamic structure function and current-current fluctuation spectra. The experimental results of S(3) are in good agreement with those of the simulations, including the (low wavenumber) domain, where S(3) acquires negative values. The "Convolution Approximation" (giving S(3) in a factorized form of S(2) functions) clearly breaks down in this domain; however, it is found to be a useful aid for explaining the main features of the S(3)(k1, k2, k0) functions, for which (experimental and simulation) maps are presented at selected values of one of its arguments.