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In statistical mechanics, the mean squared displacement (MSD, also mean square displacement, average squared displacement, or mean square fluctuation) is a measure of the deviation time between the position of a particle and some reference position. It is the most common measure of the spatial extent of random motion, and can be thought of as measuring the portion of the system "explored" by the random walker. In the realm of biophysics and environmental engineering, the Mean Squared Displacement is measured over time to determine if a particle is spreading solely due to diffusion, or if an advective force is also contributing. Another relevant concept, the Variance-Related Diameter (VRD, which is twice the square root of MSD), is also used in studying the transportation and mixing phenomena in the realm of environmental engineering. It prominently appears in the Debye–Waller factor (describing vibrations within the solid state) and in the Langevin equation (describing diffusion of a Brownian particle). The MSD is defined as

MSD in experiments

Experimental methods to determine MSDs include neutron scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy.

The linear relationship between the MSD and time t allows for graphical methods to determine the diffusivity constant D. This is especially useful for rough calculations of the diffusivity in environmental systems. In some atmospheric dispersion models, the relationship between MSD and time t is not linear. Instead, a series of power laws empirically representing the variation of the square root of MSD versus downwind distance are commonly used in studying the dispersion phenomenon.