Finite spatial-grid effects in energy-conserving particle-in-cell algorithms

Barnes, D. C.; Chacón, L.

doi:10.1016/j.cpc.2020.107560

Finite spatial-grid effects in energy-conserving particle-in-cell algorithms

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Computer Physics Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2020.107560· OSTI ID:1659174

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Coronado Consulting, Lamy, NM (United States)
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Finite-grid (or aliasing) instabilities are pervasive in particle-in-cell (PIC) plasma simulation algorithms, and force the modeler to resolve the smallest (Debye) length scale in the problem regardless of dynamical relevance. These instabilities originate in the aliasing of interpolation errors between mesh quantities and particles (which live in the space–time continuum). Recently, strictly energy-conserving PIC (EC-PIC) algorithms have been developed that promise enhanced robustness against aliasing instabilities. In this study, we confirm by analysis that EC-PIC is stable against aliasing instabilities for stationary plasmas. For drifting plasmas, we demonstrate by analysis and numerical experiments that, while EC-PIC algorithms are not free from these instabilities in principle, they feature a benign stability threshold for finite-temperature plasmas that make them usable in practice for a large class of problems (featuring ambipolarity and realistic ion-electron mass ratios) without the need to consider the size of the Debye length. We also demonstrate that this threshold is absent for the popular momentum-conserving PIC algorithms, which are therefore unstable for both drifting and stationary plasmas beyond a threshold in cell size compared to Debye length. Finite-grid (or aliasing) instabilities are pervasive in particle-in-cell (PIC) plasma simulation algorithms, and force the modeler to resolve the smallest (Debye) length scale in the problem regardless of dynamical relevance. These instabilities originate in the aliasing of interpolation errors between mesh quantities and particles (which live in the space–time continuum). Recently, strictly energy-conserving PIC (EC-PIC) algorithms have been developed that promise enhanced robustness against aliasing instabilities. In this study, we confirm by analysis that EC-PIC is stable against aliasing instabilities for stationary plasmas. For drifting plasmas, we demonstrate by analysis and numerical experiments that, while EC-PIC algorithms are not free from these instabilities in principle, they feature a benign stability threshold for finite-temperature plasmas that make them usable in practice for a large class of problems (featuring ambipolarity and realistic ion-electron mass ratios) without the need to consider the size of the Debye length. Finally, we also demonstrate that this threshold is absent for the popular momentum-conserving PIC algorithms, which are therefore unstable for both drifting and stationary plasmas beyond a threshold in cell size compared to Debye length.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001; AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1659174

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1810894

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--18-31023

Journal Information:: Computer Physics Communications, Journal Name: Computer Physics Communications Vol. 258; ISSN 0010-4655

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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