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Title: Discontinuous Galerkin algorithms for fully kinetic plasmas

Abstract

Here, we present a new algorithm for the discretization of the non-relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell system of equations for the study of plasmas in the kinetic regime. Using the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method for the spatial discretization, we obtain a high order accurate solution for the plasma's distribution function. Time stepping for the distribution function is done explicitly with a third order strong-stability preserving Runge–Kutta method. Since the Vlasov equation in the Vlasov–Maxwell system is a high dimensional transport equation, up to six dimensions plus time, we take special care to note various features we have implemented to reduce the cost while maintaining the integrity of the solution, including the use of a reduced high-order basis set. A series of benchmarks, from simple wave and shock calculations, to a five dimensional turbulence simulation, are presented to verify the efficacy of our set of numerical methods, as well as demonstrate the power of the implemented features.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [2];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)
  2. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States); Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1414922
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1549501
Grant/Contract Number:  
AGS-1622306; FG02-93ER54197; AC02-09CH11466; FA9550-15-1-0193; ACI-1548562
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Computational Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 353; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0021-9991
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Discontinuous Galerkin; Vlasov–Maxwell

Citation Formats

Juno, J., Hakim, A., TenBarge, J., Shi, E., and Dorland, W. Discontinuous Galerkin algorithms for fully kinetic plasmas. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2017.10.009.
Juno, J., Hakim, A., TenBarge, J., Shi, E., & Dorland, W. Discontinuous Galerkin algorithms for fully kinetic plasmas. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2017.10.009
Juno, J., Hakim, A., TenBarge, J., Shi, E., and Dorland, W. Tue . "Discontinuous Galerkin algorithms for fully kinetic plasmas". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2017.10.009. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1414922.
@article{osti_1414922,
title = {Discontinuous Galerkin algorithms for fully kinetic plasmas},
author = {Juno, J. and Hakim, A. and TenBarge, J. and Shi, E. and Dorland, W.},
abstractNote = {Here, we present a new algorithm for the discretization of the non-relativistic Vlasov–Maxwell system of equations for the study of plasmas in the kinetic regime. Using the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method for the spatial discretization, we obtain a high order accurate solution for the plasma's distribution function. Time stepping for the distribution function is done explicitly with a third order strong-stability preserving Runge–Kutta method. Since the Vlasov equation in the Vlasov–Maxwell system is a high dimensional transport equation, up to six dimensions plus time, we take special care to note various features we have implemented to reduce the cost while maintaining the integrity of the solution, including the use of a reduced high-order basis set. A series of benchmarks, from simple wave and shock calculations, to a five dimensional turbulence simulation, are presented to verify the efficacy of our set of numerical methods, as well as demonstrate the power of the implemented features.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jcp.2017.10.009},
journal = {Journal of Computational Physics},
number = C,
volume = 353,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Cited by: 70 works
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