351 research outputs found
Renormalized non-modal theory of the kinetic drift instability of plasma shear flows
The linear and renormalized nonlinear kinetic theory of drift instability of
plasma shear flow across the magnetic field, which has the Kelvin's method of
shearing modes or so-called non-modal approach as its foundation, is developed.
The developed theory proves that the time-dependent effect of the finite ion
Larmor radius is the key effect, which is responsible for the suppression of
drift turbulence in an inhomogeneous electric field. This effect leads to the
non-modal decrease of the frequency and growth rate of the unstable drift
perturbations with time. We find that turbulent scattering of the ion gyrophase
is the dominant effect, which determines extremely rapid suppression of drift
turbulence in shear flow
On the gyrokinetic limit for the two-dimensional Vlasov-Poisson system
We investigate the gyrokinetic limit for the Vlasov-Poisson system in two
dimensions, in the regime studied by Golse and Saint-Raymond. We present
another proof of convergence to the Euler equation under several assumptions on
the energy and on the norms of the initial data
ORB5: a global electromagnetic gyrokinetic code using the PIC approach in toroidal geometry
This paper presents the current state of the global gyrokinetic code ORB5 as
an update of the previous reference [Jolliet et al., Comp. Phys. Commun. 177
409 (2007)]. The ORB5 code solves the electromagnetic Vlasov-Maxwell system of
equations using a PIC scheme and also includes collisions and strong flows. The
code assumes multiple gyrokinetic ion species at all wavelengths for the
polarization density and drift-kinetic electrons. Variants of the physical
model can be selected for electrons such as assuming an adiabatic response or a
``hybrid'' model in which passing electrons are assumed adiabatic and trapped
electrons are drift-kinetic. A Fourier filter as well as various control
variates and noise reduction techniques enable simulations with good
signal-to-noise ratios at a limited numerical cost. They are completed with
different momentum and zonal flow-conserving heat sources allowing for
temperature-gradient and flux-driven simulations. The code, which runs on both
CPUs and GPUs, is well benchmarked against other similar codes and analytical
predictions, and shows good scalability up to thousands of nodes
High order resolution of the Maxwell-Fokker-Planck-Landau model intended for ICF applications
A high order, deterministic direct numerical method is proposed for the
nonrelativistic Vlasov-Maxwell system, coupled
with Fokker-Planck-Landau type operators. Such a system is devoted to the
modelling of electronic transport and energy deposition in the general frame of
Inertial Confinement Fusion applications. It describes the kinetics of plasma
physics in the nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium regime. Strong numerical
constraints lead us to develop specific methods and approaches for validation,
that might be used in other fields where couplings between equations,
multiscale physics, and high dimensionality are involved. Parallelisation (MPI
communication standard) and fast algorithms such as the multigrid method are
employed, that make this direct approach be computationally affordable for
simulations of hundreds of picoseconds, when dealing with configurations that
present five dimensions in phase space
Collisionless kinetic regimes for quasi-stationary axisymmetric accretion disc plasmas
This paper is concerned with the kinetic treatment of quasi-stationary
axisymmetric collisionless accretion disc plasmas. The conditions of validity
of the kinetic description for non-relativistic magnetized and
gravitationally-bound plasmas of this type are discussed. A classification of
the possible collisionless plasma regimes which can arise in these systems is
proposed, which can apply to accretion discs around both stellar-mass compact
objects and galactic-center black holes. Two different classifications are
determined, which are referred to respectively as energy-based and magnetic
field-based classifications. Different regimes are pointed out for each plasma
species, depending both on the relative magnitudes of kinetic and potential
energies and the magnitude of the magnetic field. It is shown that in all
cases, there can be quasi-stationary Maxwellian-like solutions of the Vlasov
equation. The perturbative approach outlined here permits unique analytical
determination of the functional form for the distribution function consistent,
in each kinetic regime, with the explicit inclusion of finite Larmor
radius-diamagnetic and/or energy-correction effects.Comment: 13 page
Viriato: a Fourier-Hermite spectral code for strongly magnetised fluid-kinetic plasma dynamics
We report on the algorithms and numerical methods used in Viriato, a novel
fluid-kinetic code that solves two distinct sets of equations: (i) the Kinetic
Reduced Electron Heating Model (KREHM) equations [Zocco & Schekochihin, Phys.
Plasmas 18, 102309 (2011)] (which reduce to the standard Reduced-MHD equations
in the appropriate limit) and (ii) the kinetic reduced MHD (KRMHD) equations
[Schekochihin et al., Astrophys. J. Suppl. 182:310 (2009)]. Two main
applications of these equations are magnetised (Alfvenic) plasma turbulence and
magnetic reconnection. Viriato uses operator splitting (Strang or Godunov) to
separate the dynamics parallel and perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field
(assumed strong). Along the magnetic field, Viriato allows for either a
second-order accurate MacCormack method or, for higher accuracy, a
spectral-like scheme composed of the combination of a total variation
diminishing (TVD) third order Runge-Kutta method for the time derivative with a
7th order upwind scheme for the fluxes. Perpendicular to the field Viriato is
pseudo-spectral, and the time integration is performed by means of an iterative
predictor-corrector scheme. In addition, a distinctive feature of Viriato is
its spectral representation of the parallel velocity-space dependence, achieved
by means of a Hermite representation of the perturbed distribution function. A
series of linear and nonlinear benchmarks and tests are presented, including a
detailed analysis of 2D and 3D Orszag-Tang-type decaying turbulence, both in
fluid and kinetic regimes.Comment: 42 pages, 15 figures, submitted to J. Comp. Phy
Apar-T: code, validation, and physical interpretation of particle-in-cell results
We present the parallel particle-in-cell (PIC) code Apar-T and, more
importantly, address the fundamental question of the relations between the PIC
model, the Vlasov-Maxwell theory, and real plasmas.
First, we present four validation tests: spectra from simulations of thermal
plasmas, linear growth rates of the relativistic tearing instability and of the
filamentation instability, and non-linear filamentation merging phase. For the
filamentation instability we show that the effective growth rates measured on
the total energy can differ by more than 50% from the linear cold predictions
and from the fastest modes of the simulation.
Second, we detail a new method for initial loading of Maxwell-J\"uttner
particle distributions with relativistic bulk velocity and relativistic
temperature, and explain why the traditional method with individual particle
boosting fails.
Third, we scrutinize the question of what description of physical plasmas is
obtained by PIC models. These models rely on two building blocks:
coarse-graining, i.e., grouping of the order of p~10^10 real particles into a
single computer superparticle, and field storage on a grid with its subsequent
finite superparticle size. We introduce the notion of coarse-graining dependent
quantities, i.e., quantities depending on p. They derive from the PIC plasma
parameter Lambda^{PIC}, which we show to scale as 1/p. We explore two
implications. One is that PIC collision- and fluctuation-induced thermalization
times are expected to scale with the number of superparticles per grid cell,
and thus to be a factor p~10^10 smaller than in real plasmas. The other is that
the level of electric field fluctuations scales as 1/Lambda^{PIC} ~ p. We
provide a corresponding exact expression.
Fourth, we compare the Vlasov-Maxwell theory, which describes a phase-space
fluid with infinite Lambda, to the PIC model and its relatively small Lambda.Comment: 24 pages, 14 figures, accepted in Astronomy & Astrophysic
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