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Title: A multi-dimensional, energy- and charge-conserving, nonlinearly implicit, electromagnetic Vlasov–Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm

Abstract

For decades, the Vlasov–Darwin model has been recognized to be attractive for particle-in-cell (PIC) kinetic plasma simulations in non-radiative electromagnetic regimes, to avoid radiative noise issues and gain computational efficiency. However, the Darwin model results in an elliptic set of field equations that renders conventional explicit time integration unconditionally unstable. We explore a fully implicit PIC algorithm for the Vlasov–Darwin model in multiple dimensions, which overcomes many difficulties of traditional semi-implicit Darwin PIC algorithms. The finite-difference scheme for Darwin field equations and particle equations of motion is space–time-centered, employing particle sub-cycling and orbit-averaging. This algorithm conserves total energy, local charge, canonical-momentum in the ignorable direction, and preserves the Coulomb gauge exactly. An asymptotically well-posed fluid preconditioner allows efficient use of large cell sizes, which are determined by accuracy considerations, not stability, and can be orders of magnitude larger than required in a standard explicit electromagnetic PIC simulation. Finally, we demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency properties of the algorithm with various numerical experiments in 2D–3V.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Theoretical Division
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1329577
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1246662
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-21463
Journal ID: ISSN 0010-4655
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Computer Physics Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 197; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0010-4655
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Implicit particle-in-cell; Energy conservation; Charge conservation; Canonical momentum conservation; Vlasov–Darwin; Multi-scale; JFNK; Physics-based preconditioner

Citation Formats

Chen, G., and Chacón, L. A multi-dimensional, energy- and charge-conserving, nonlinearly implicit, electromagnetic Vlasov–Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1016/j.cpc.2015.08.008.
Chen, G., & Chacón, L. A multi-dimensional, energy- and charge-conserving, nonlinearly implicit, electromagnetic Vlasov–Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2015.08.008
Chen, G., and Chacón, L. Tue . "A multi-dimensional, energy- and charge-conserving, nonlinearly implicit, electromagnetic Vlasov–Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpc.2015.08.008. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1329577.
@article{osti_1329577,
title = {A multi-dimensional, energy- and charge-conserving, nonlinearly implicit, electromagnetic Vlasov–Darwin particle-in-cell algorithm},
author = {Chen, G. and Chacón, L.},
abstractNote = {For decades, the Vlasov–Darwin model has been recognized to be attractive for particle-in-cell (PIC) kinetic plasma simulations in non-radiative electromagnetic regimes, to avoid radiative noise issues and gain computational efficiency. However, the Darwin model results in an elliptic set of field equations that renders conventional explicit time integration unconditionally unstable. We explore a fully implicit PIC algorithm for the Vlasov–Darwin model in multiple dimensions, which overcomes many difficulties of traditional semi-implicit Darwin PIC algorithms. The finite-difference scheme for Darwin field equations and particle equations of motion is space–time-centered, employing particle sub-cycling and orbit-averaging. This algorithm conserves total energy, local charge, canonical-momentum in the ignorable direction, and preserves the Coulomb gauge exactly. An asymptotically well-posed fluid preconditioner allows efficient use of large cell sizes, which are determined by accuracy considerations, not stability, and can be orders of magnitude larger than required in a standard explicit electromagnetic PIC simulation. Finally, we demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency properties of the algorithm with various numerical experiments in 2D–3V.},
doi = {10.1016/j.cpc.2015.08.008},
journal = {Computer Physics Communications},
number = C,
volume = 197,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 11 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Aug 11 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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