The finite probe size effect in fluctuation measurements; application to dusty plasmas

Abstract

The effect of the finite probe size in plasma fluctuation measurements is revisited for dusty plasmas, where it has been argued that dust leads to a significant low-frequency enhancement in the spectral densities of ion density fluctuations, which can constitute the physical basis of a dust diagnostic technique. Theoretical predictions for the spectral modifications are presented and the dust acoustic mode contribution is analysed. The finite probe size effect is treated within the volume average approach, which introduces geometry dependent form factors that are calculated for spherical and cylindrical probes. The volume average approach is compared with the typically employed cutoff wavenumber approximation for various dust and plasma parameters. The contribution of temperature fluctuations to the spectral density of current fluctuations is also evaluated.