Numerical heating in particle-in-cell simulations with Monte Carlo binary collisions

Alves, E. P.; Mori, W. B.; Fiuza, F.

doi:10.1103/physreve.103.013306

Title: Numerical heating in particle-in-cell simulations with Monte Carlo binary collisions

Journal Article · Mon Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Physical Review E

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.103.013306· OSTI ID:1768238

^[1]; Mori, W. B. ^[2];

^[1]

SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

The binary Monte Carlo (MC) collision algorithm is a standard and robust method to include binary Coulomb collision effects in particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of plasmas. Here we show that the coupling between PIC and MC algorithms can give rise to (nonphysical) numerical heating of the system that significantly exceeds that observed when these algorithms operate independently. We argue that this deleterious effect results from an inconsistency between the particle motion associated with MC collisions and the work performed by the collective electromagnetic field on the PIC grid. This inconsistency manifests as the (artificial) stochastic production of electromagnetic energy, which ultimately heats the plasma particles. Here, the MC-induced numerical heating can significantly impact the evolution of the simulated system for long simulation times (≳10³ collision periods, for typical numerical parameters). We describe the source of the MC-induced numerical heating analytically and discuss strategies to minimize it.

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Research Organization:: SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); U.S. DOE Early Career Research Program; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-76SF00515; LFR-17-449059; SC0019010; NA0003842; FWP 100331; FWP 100237; FWP 100182; ACI-1339893

OSTI ID:: 1768238

Journal Information:: Physical Review E, Vol. 103, Issue 1; ISSN 2470-0045

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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