The nonlinear expansion of a dusty plasma into a vacuum region is inve
stigated without imposing a quasi-neutrality assumption. The nonlinear
expansion is obtained using numerical methods. Electrons and positive
ions are found to initially escape into the vacuum region creating an
electric field that accelerates a small group of massive dust particl
es into the vacuum ahead of the dust expansion. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie
nce Ltd.