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Experiments with extended three-dimensional dusty plasmas under microgravity conditions were performed to study the complex wave pattern of self-excited dust-density waves and its interaction with the plasma. The simultaneous observation of the dust-density fluctuations and the plasma glow revealed that the observed wave phenomenon affects the plasma in the complete discharge. In particular, our investigations suggest, that self-excited dust-density waves are the product of a self-organized system consisting of the dust cloud, the plasma, and the external circuit. The complex wave pattern is a consequence of partial synchronization of neighboring regions inside the dust cloud and can be modeled by a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chain of mutually coupled nonlinear and self-sustained oscillators is studied numerically. The simple model allows to explain the topological structure of self-excited dust-density waves under microgravity conditions. The basic properties of the model are presented and compared with experimental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]