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Title: Why is Boris algorithm so good?

Abstract

Due to its excellent long term accuracy, the Boris algorithm is the de facto standard for advancing a charged particle. Despite its popularity, up to now there has been no convincing explanation why the Boris algorithm has this advantageous feature. In this paper, we provide an answer to this question. We show that the Boris algorithm conserves phase space volume, even though it is not symplectic. The global bound on energy error typically associated with symplectic algorithms still holds for the Boris algorithm, making it an effective algorithm for the multi-scale dynamics of plasmas.

Authors:
 [1]; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Department of Modern Physics and Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Fusion Energy and Plasma Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)
  2. LSEC, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2719, Beijing 100190 (China)
  3. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22220706
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 20; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ACCURACY; ALGORITHMS; CHARGED PARTICLES; COLLISIONS; ERRORS; PHASE SPACE; PLASMA; PLASMA SIMULATION

Citation Formats

Qin, Hong, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Shuangxi, Xiao, Jianyuan, Liu, Jian, Sun, Yajuan, and Tang, William M. Why is Boris algorithm so good?. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4818428.
Qin, Hong, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Shuangxi, Xiao, Jianyuan, Liu, Jian, Sun, Yajuan, & Tang, William M. Why is Boris algorithm so good?. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818428
Qin, Hong, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, Zhang, Shuangxi, Xiao, Jianyuan, Liu, Jian, Sun, Yajuan, and Tang, William M. 2013. "Why is Boris algorithm so good?". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818428.
@article{osti_22220706,
title = {Why is Boris algorithm so good?},
author = {Qin, Hong and Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 and Zhang, Shuangxi and Xiao, Jianyuan and Liu, Jian and Sun, Yajuan and Tang, William M.},
abstractNote = {Due to its excellent long term accuracy, the Boris algorithm is the de facto standard for advancing a charged particle. Despite its popularity, up to now there has been no convincing explanation why the Boris algorithm has this advantageous feature. In this paper, we provide an answer to this question. We show that the Boris algorithm conserves phase space volume, even though it is not symplectic. The global bound on energy error typically associated with symplectic algorithms still holds for the Boris algorithm, making it an effective algorithm for the multi-scale dynamics of plasmas.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4818428},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22220706}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 8,
volume = 20,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}