Hyperuniformity Parameter Measurements for a 2D Strongly Coupled Dusty Plasma

Density fluctuations can be found in all kinds of plasmas, even under equilibrium conditions. As an approach for characterizing density fluctuations, we introduce the hyperuniformity parameter $H$. A particularly interesting possibility occurs if long-wavelength density fluctuations are greatly suppressed, as indicated by a small value of $H$. We obtain the value of $H$ from the static structure factor $S(k)$ for a strongly coupled dusty plasma. We analyze $S(k)$ data from several 2D dusty plasma experiments, in which particle positions were recorded under liquid-like conditions that were sustained by laser heating. Preliminary results of our analysis show a trend where $H$ diminishes as the temperature is decreased closer to the melting point. These experimental results are compared to results of a molecular dynamics simulation.