Electron Density Fluctuation in a Dusty Plasma

The expressions of electron density fluctuation produced by dust particles in a dusty plasma are derived. It is shown that the fluctuation comes from three different sources. The first source is the thermal motion of the dust particles, which is of a fluctuation power spectrum proportional to n_dZ². The second source is the charge change of the dust particles, which is of a power spectrum proportional to n²_dZ³. The third source is the eigen-mode oscillation of the dust particles, which is of fluctuation power spectrum proportional to √n_d. The powerful electron density fluctuation exists in a dusty plasma due to the fact that the dust particles are high charged. The results may explain the strong electromagnetic scattering by a space dust layer in the Earth's mesosphere.