skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Improved modeling of relativistic collisions and collisional ionization in particle-in-cell codes

Abstract

An improved Monte Carlo collisional scheme modeling both elastic and inelastic interactions has been implemented into the particle-in-cell code CALDER[E. Lefebvre et al., Nucl. Fusion 43, 629 (2003)]. Based on the technique proposed by Nanbu and Yonemura [J. Comput. Phys. 145, 639 (1998)] allowing to handle arbitrarily weighted macro-particles, this binary collision scheme uses a more compact and accurate relativistic formulation than the algorithm recently worked out by Sentoku and Kemp [J. Comput. Phys. 227, 6846 (2008)]. Our scheme is validated through several test cases, demonstrating, in particular, its capability of modeling the electrical resistivity and stopping power of a solid-density plasma over a broad parameter range. A relativistic collisional ionization scheme is developed within the same framework, and tested in several physical scenarios. Finally, our scheme is applied in a set of integrated particle-in-cell simulations of laser-driven fast electron transport.

Authors:
 [1]; ; ; ;  [2]
  1. LULI, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)
  2. CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22086066
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT; COLLISIONS; ELASTIC SCATTERING; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; ELECTRONS; INELASTIC SCATTERING; INTERACTIONS; IONIZATION; LASERS; MONTE CARLO METHOD; PARTICLES; PLASMA DENSITY; RELATIVISTIC RANGE; STOPPING POWER

Citation Formats

Perez, F, CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, Gremillet, L, Decoster, A, Drouin, M, and Lefebvre, E. Improved modeling of relativistic collisions and collisional ionization in particle-in-cell codes. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4742167.
Perez, F, CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, Gremillet, L, Decoster, A, Drouin, M, & Lefebvre, E. Improved modeling of relativistic collisions and collisional ionization in particle-in-cell codes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4742167
Perez, F, CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon, Gremillet, L, Decoster, A, Drouin, M, and Lefebvre, E. 2012. "Improved modeling of relativistic collisions and collisional ionization in particle-in-cell codes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4742167.
@article{osti_22086066,
title = {Improved modeling of relativistic collisions and collisional ionization in particle-in-cell codes},
author = {Perez, F and CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon and Gremillet, L and Decoster, A and Drouin, M and Lefebvre, E},
abstractNote = {An improved Monte Carlo collisional scheme modeling both elastic and inelastic interactions has been implemented into the particle-in-cell code CALDER[E. Lefebvre et al., Nucl. Fusion 43, 629 (2003)]. Based on the technique proposed by Nanbu and Yonemura [J. Comput. Phys. 145, 639 (1998)] allowing to handle arbitrarily weighted macro-particles, this binary collision scheme uses a more compact and accurate relativistic formulation than the algorithm recently worked out by Sentoku and Kemp [J. Comput. Phys. 227, 6846 (2008)]. Our scheme is validated through several test cases, demonstrating, in particular, its capability of modeling the electrical resistivity and stopping power of a solid-density plasma over a broad parameter range. A relativistic collisional ionization scheme is developed within the same framework, and tested in several physical scenarios. Finally, our scheme is applied in a set of integrated particle-in-cell simulations of laser-driven fast electron transport.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4742167},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22086066}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 8,
volume = 19,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}