A global method of solving the electron-field equations in a zero-inertia-electron-hybrid plasma simulation code

• Published in: Journal of computational physics Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 378 - 395
• Main Author: Hewett, D.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.12.1980
• ISSN: 0021-9991; 1090-2716
• DOI: 10.1016/0021-9991(80)90155-2

A formulation of the electron momentum equation and Maxwell's field equations suitable for global solution in an r-z hybrid plasma simulation code has been derived. The assumption of zero electron inertia is made in the electron momentum equation and Maxwell's equations are used in the radiation-free or Darwin limit. These techniques make explicit use of the axisymmetric properties of the model to decouple the components of the model equations. Equations to self-consistently advance the electron temperature are not presently included in this scheme. The model equations which result from these considerations are two coupled, nonlinear, second order partial differential equations. These two equations are integrated in time by a noniterative ADI procedure along with the explicit particle-in-cell ion time integration procedure. The resulting nearly implicit electron-field algorithm treats wide variations in the local signal velocity without instability; this consideration is most important since pure vacuum regions are allowed. The global nature of the solution requires boundary conditions only on the boundaries of the simulation region; arbitrary intermixing of plasma vacuum regions requires only the simple detection of low density cells and does not require monitoring of plasma vacuum interfaces.