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A plasma actuator incorporates a power source, a first electrode in contact with a first dielectric layer, a second electrode in contact with a second dielectric layer, and a ground electrode. The power source drives the first electrode with a first ac voltage pattern with respect to the ground elec

A plasma actuator incorporates a power source, a first electrode in contact with a first dielectric layer, a second electrode in contact with a second dielectric layer, and a ground electrode. The power source drives the first electrode with a first ac voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode to produce a first plasma discharge, and a first electric field pattern in the flow region, and drives the second electrode with a second ac voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode to produce a second plasma discharge in the flow region and a second electric field pattern in the flow region. The first and second electrodes are offset along the direction of flow and the first voltage pattern and the second voltage pattern have a phase difference such that the first and second electric fields drive flow in different portions of the flow region at different times.

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1. A plasma actuator, comprising: a first power source;a first electrode in contact with a first dielectric layer and connected to the first power source;a second power source;a second electrode in contact with a second dielectric layer and connected to the second power source; anda ground electrode

1. A plasma actuator, comprising: a first power source;a first electrode in contact with a first dielectric layer and connected to the first power source;a second power source;a second electrode in contact with a second dielectric layer and connected to the second power source; anda ground electrode;wherein the first power source drives the first electrode with a first time-varying voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode and the second power source drives the second electrode with a second time-varying voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode, wherein application of the first time-varying voltage pattern produces a first plasma discharge in a flow region and a first electric field pattern in the flow region, wherein application of the second time-varying voltage pattern produces a second plasma discharge in the flow region and a second electric field pattern in the flow region, wherein the first time-varying voltage pattern and the second voltage time varying pattern have a phase difference. 2. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first plasma discharge and the first electric field pattern create a first body force on a fluid in the flow region, wherein the second plasma discharge and the second electric field pattern create a second body force on the fluid in the flow region. 3. The plasma actuator according to claim 2, wherein the first body force is an electrodynamic force. 4. The plasma actuator according to claim 2, wherein the first body force is a Lorentz force. 5. The plasma actuator according to claim 2, wherein the fluid is a gas. 6. The plasma actuator according to claim 2, wherein the fluid is a liquid. 7. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first time varying voltage pattern is an ac voltage pattern. 8. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first time varying voltage pattern is pulsed dc voltage pattern. 9. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, where the first dielectric and the second dielectric layer are arranged in a stacked configuration, wherein the first dielectric layer contacts the second dielectric layer. 10. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is exposed to the flow region. 11. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, further comprising a coating between the first electrode and the flow region. 12. The plasma actuator according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the first dielectric layer is positioned between the flow region and the second electrode. 13. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have different dielectric strengths. 14. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have the same dielectric strength. 15. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode is offset from the second electrode in a direction parallel to a direction of flow in the flow region. 16. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the first dielectric layer is exposed to the flow region. 17. The plasma actuator according to claim 16, wherein a direction of flow in the flow region is substantially parallel to the surface of the first dielectric layer in the flow region. 18. The plasma actuator according to claim 17, wherein the first electrode is offset from the second electrode in a direction parallel to the direction of the flow in the flow region. 19. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first power source and the second power source are the same. 20. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one additional power source;a corresponding at least one additional electrode in contact with a corresponding at least one additional dielectric layer and connected to the corresponding at least one additional power source;wherein the at least one additional power source drives the corresponding at least one additional electrode with a corresponding at least one additional ac voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode, wherein application of the at least one additional ac voltage pattern produces a corresponding at least one additional plasma discharge in the flow region and a corresponding at least one additional electric field pattern in the flow region. 21. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, where the first time-varying voltage pattern and the second time-varying voltage pattern are RF voltage patterns. 22. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the ground electrode comprise a curve in a longitudinal dimension of the respective electrode. 23. The plasma actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the ground electrode comprise an angle in a longitudinal dimension of the respective electrode. 24. The plasma actuator according to claim 22, wherein the first dielectric layer is adjacent to the flow region wherein a net body force on a fluid in the flow region comprises a component normal to a surface of the first dielectric layer. 25. The plasma actuator according to claim 23, wherein the first dielectric layer is adjacent to the flow region wherein a net body force on a fluid in the flow region comprises a component normal to a surface of the first dielectric layer. 26. A method of plasma actuation, comprising: providing a first power source;providing a first electrode in contact with a first dielectric layer and connected to the first power source;providing a second power source;providing a second electrode in contact with a second dielectric layer and connected to the second power source; andproviding a ground electrode;driving the first electrode via the first power source with a first time-varying voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode and driving the second electrode via the second power source with a second time-varying voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode, wherein application of the first time-varying voltage pattern produces a first plasma discharge in a flow region and a first electric field pattern in the flow region, wherein application of the second time-varying voltage pattern produces a second plasma discharge in the flow region and a second electric field pattern in the flow region, wherein the first time-varying voltage pattern and the second voltage time varying pattern have a phase difference. 27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first plasma discharge and the first electric field pattern create a first body force on a fluid in the flow region, wherein the second plasma discharge and the second electric field pattern create a second body force on the fluid in the flow region. 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first body force is an electrodynamic force. 29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first body force is a Lorentz force. 30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the fluid is a gas. 31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the fluid is a liquid. 32. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first time varying voltage pattern is an ac voltage pattern. 33. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first time varying voltage pattern is pulsed dc voltage pattern. 34. The method according to claim 26, where the first dielectric and the second dielectric layer are arranged in a stacked configuration, wherein the first dielectric layer contacts the second dielectric layer. 35. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first electrode is exposed to the flow region. 36. The method according to claim 26, further comprising providing a coating between the first electrode and the flow region. 37. The method according to claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the first dielectric layer is positioned between the flow region and the second electrode. 38. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have different dielectric strengths. 39. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have the same dielectric strength. 40. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first electrode is offset from the second electrode in a direction parallel to a direction of flow in the flow region. 41. The method according to claim 26, wherein a surface of the first dielectric layer is exposed to the flow region. 42. The method according to claim 41, wherein a direction of flow in the flow region is substantially parallel to the surface of the first dielectric layer in the flow region. 43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the first electrode is offset from the second electrode in a direction parallel to the direction of the flow in the flow region. 44. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first power source and the second power source are the same. 45. The method according to claim 26, further comprising: providing at least one additional power source;providing a corresponding at least one additional electrode in contact with a corresponding at least one additional dielectric layer and connected to the corresponding at least one additional power source;driving the corresponding at least one additional electrode via the at least one additional power source with a corresponding at least one additional ac voltage pattern with respect to the ground electrode, wherein application of the at least one additional ac voltage pattern produces a corresponding at least one additional plasma discharge in the flow region and a corresponding at least one additional electric field pattern in the flow region. 46. The method according to claim 26, where the first time-varying voltage pattern and the second time-varying voltage pattern are RF voltage patterns. 47. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the ground electrode comprise a curve in a longitudinal dimension of the respective electrode. 48. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the ground electrode comprise an angle in a longitudinal dimension of the respective electrode. 49. The method according to claim 47, wherein the first dielectric layer is adjacent to the flow region wherein a net body force on a fluid in the flow region comprises a component normal to a surface of the first dielectric layer. 50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the first dielectric layer is adjacent to the flow region wherein a net body force on a fluid in the flow region comprises a component normal to a surface of the first dielectric layer.