EFFECTS OF CHARGE DISPERSION IN DUSTY PLASMAS

We investigate the charge-dispersive effects on a sheath of monosized dust particles in equilibrium. This is done through describing the dus t particles by using equations in (x, v) space (kinetic space) that in clude terms originating from the charge distribution of the dust parti cles. The charge-dispersive terms are assumed to be completely determi ned by the local. charging processes. We find that the effects due to these terms are opposed by the ordinary gradient terms in the current equation in kinetic space, and they are therefore smaller than first e xpected. We also identify kinetic effects that are not included in the usual expression for the dust charge in hydrodynamic space.