Dispersion and the speed-limited particle-in-cell algorithm

Jenkins, Thomas G.; Werner, Gregory R.; Cary, John R.

doi:10.1063/5.0046935

Dispersion and the speed-limited particle-in-cell algorithm

Journal Article · Wed Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0046935· OSTI ID:1814031

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Tech-X Corporation, Boulder, CO (United States); Tech-X Corporation
Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Tech-X Corporation, Boulder, CO (United States); Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

This paper discusses temporally continuous and discrete forms of the speed-limited particle-in-cell (SLPIC) method first treated by Werner et al. [Phys. Plasmas 25, 123512 (2018)]. The dispersion relation for a 1D1V electrostatic plasma whose fast particles are speed-limited is derived and analyzed. By examining the normal modes of this dispersion relation, we show that the imposed speed-limiting substantially reduces the frequency of fast electron plasma oscillations while preserving the correct physics of lower-frequency plasma dynamics (e.g. ion acoustic wave dispersion and damping). We then demonstrate how the timestep constraints of conventional electrostatic particle-in-cell methods are relaxed by the speed-limiting approach, thus enabling larger timesteps and faster simulations. Here, these results indicate that the SLPIC method is a fast, accurate, and powerful technique for modeling plasmas wherein electron kinetic behavior is nontrivial (such that a fluid/Boltzmann representation for electrons is inadequate) but evolution is on ion timescales.

Research Organization:: Tech-X Corporation, Boulder, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0015762

OSTI ID:: 1814031

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1804587

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 28; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Dispersion and the speed-limited particle-in-cell algorithm

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