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Title: Simulation studies of non-neutral plasma equilibria in an electrostatic trap with a magnetic mirror

Abstract

The equilibrium of an infinitely long, strongly magnetized, non-neutral plasma confined in a Penning-Malmberg trap with an additional mirror coil has been solved analytically [J. Fajans, Phys. Plasmas 10, 1209 (2003)] and shown to exhibit unusual features. Particles not only reflect near the mirror in the low field region, but also may be weakly trapped in part of in the high field region. The plasma satisfies a Boltzmann distribution along field lines; however, the density and the potential vary along field lines. Some other simplifying assumptions were employed in order to analytically characterize the equilibrium; for example the interface region between the low and high field regions was not considered. The earlier results are confirmed in the present study, where two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed with the Warp code in a more realistic configuration with an arbitrary (but physical) density profile, realistic trap geometry and magnetic field. A range of temperatures and radial plasma sizes are considered. Particle tracking is used to identify populations of trapped and untrapped particles. The present study also shows that it is possible to obtain local equilibria of non-neutral plasmas using a collisionless PIC code, by a scheme that uses the inherent numerical collisionality asmore » a proxy for physical collisions.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
936662
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JRNL-221919
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; PHPAEN; TRN: US0805620
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 14; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION; CONFIGURATION; DISTRIBUTION; ELECTROSTATICS; GEOMETRY; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC MIRRORS; MIRRORS; PLASMA; SIMULATION

Citation Formats

Gomberoff, K, Fajans, J, Wurtele, J, Friedman, A, Grote, D P, Cohen, R H, and Vay, J. Simulation studies of non-neutral plasma equilibria in an electrostatic trap with a magnetic mirror. United States: N. p., 2006. Web.
Gomberoff, K, Fajans, J, Wurtele, J, Friedman, A, Grote, D P, Cohen, R H, & Vay, J. Simulation studies of non-neutral plasma equilibria in an electrostatic trap with a magnetic mirror. United States.
Gomberoff, K, Fajans, J, Wurtele, J, Friedman, A, Grote, D P, Cohen, R H, and Vay, J. 2006. "Simulation studies of non-neutral plasma equilibria in an electrostatic trap with a magnetic mirror". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/936662.
@article{osti_936662,
title = {Simulation studies of non-neutral plasma equilibria in an electrostatic trap with a magnetic mirror},
author = {Gomberoff, K and Fajans, J and Wurtele, J and Friedman, A and Grote, D P and Cohen, R H and Vay, J},
abstractNote = {The equilibrium of an infinitely long, strongly magnetized, non-neutral plasma confined in a Penning-Malmberg trap with an additional mirror coil has been solved analytically [J. Fajans, Phys. Plasmas 10, 1209 (2003)] and shown to exhibit unusual features. Particles not only reflect near the mirror in the low field region, but also may be weakly trapped in part of in the high field region. The plasma satisfies a Boltzmann distribution along field lines; however, the density and the potential vary along field lines. Some other simplifying assumptions were employed in order to analytically characterize the equilibrium; for example the interface region between the low and high field regions was not considered. The earlier results are confirmed in the present study, where two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed with the Warp code in a more realistic configuration with an arbitrary (but physical) density profile, realistic trap geometry and magnetic field. A range of temperatures and radial plasma sizes are considered. Particle tracking is used to identify populations of trapped and untrapped particles. The present study also shows that it is possible to obtain local equilibria of non-neutral plasmas using a collisionless PIC code, by a scheme that uses the inherent numerical collisionality as a proxy for physical collisions.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/936662}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 5,
volume = 14,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}