IS DUST ACOUSTIC-WAVE A NEW PLASMA ACOUSTIC MODE

In this Brief Communication, the claim of the novelty of the dust acou stic wave in a dusty plasma within the constant dust charge model is q uestioned. Conceptual lacunas behind the claim have been highlighted a nd appropriate physical arguments have been forwarded against the clai m. It is demonstrated that the so-called dust acoustic wave could bett er be termed as a general acoustic fluctuation response with a dominan t characteristic feature of the acoustic-like mode (ALM) fluctuation r esponse reported by Dwivedi et al. [J. Plasma Phys. 41, 219 (1989)]. I t is suggested that both correct and more usable nomenclature of the A LM should be the so-called acoustic mode. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.