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Field theory and a structure-preserving geometric particle-in-cell algorithm for drift wave instability and turbulence

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion
 [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China)
  2. Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

A field theory and the associated structure-preserving geometric particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm are developed to study low frequency electrostatic perturbations with fully kinetic ions and adiabatic electrons in magnetized plasmas. The algorithm is constructed by geometrically discretizing the field theory using discrete exterior calculus, high-order Whitney interpolation forms, and non-canonical Hamiltonian splitting method. The discretization preserves the non-canonical symplectic structure of the particle-field system, as well as the electromagnetic gauge symmetry. As a result, the algorithm is charge-conserving and possesses long-term conservation properties. Because drift wave turbulence and anomalous transport intrinsically involve multi time-scales, simulation studies using fully kinetic particles demand algorithms with long-term accuracy and fidelity. The structure-preserving geometric PIC algorithm developed adequately serves this purpose. The algorithm has been implemented in the code, tested and benchmarked using the examples of ion Bernstein waves and drift waves. We apply the algorithm to study the ion temperature gradient (ITG) instability and turbulence in a 2D slab geometry. Simulation results show that at the early stage of the turbulence, the energy diffusion is between the Bohm scaling and gyro-Bohm scaling. Finally, at later time, the observed diffusion is closer to the gyro-Bohm scaling, and density blobs generated by the rupture of unstable modes are the prominent structures of the fully developed ITG turbulence.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; National Key Research and Development Program; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC); China Postdoctoral Science Foundation; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-09CH11466
OSTI ID:
1660945
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 22929962
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 59; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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