An Asymptotic Preserving Scheme for the Euler equations in a strong magnetic field

This paper is concerned with the numerical approximation of the isothermal Euler equations for charged particles subject to the Lorentz force. When the magnetic field is large, the so-called drift-fluid approximation is obtained. In this limit, the parallel motion relative to the magnetic field direction splits from perpendicular motion and is given implicitly by the constraint of zero total force along the magnetic field lines. In this paper, we provide a well-posed elliptic equation for the parallel velocity which in turn allows us to construct an Asymptotic-Preserving (AP) scheme for the Euler-Lorentz system. This scheme gives rise to both a consistent approximation of the Euler-Lorentz model when epsilon is finite and a consistent approximation of the drift limit when epsilon tends to 0. Above all, it does not require any constraint on the space and time steps related to the small value of epsilon. Numerical results are presented, which confirm the AP character of the scheme and its Asymptotic Stability

Numerical approximation of the Euler-Poisson-Boltzmann model in the quasineutral limit

This paper analyzes various schemes for the Euler-Poisson-Boltzmann (EPB) model of plasma physics. This model consists of the pressureless gas dynamics equations coupled with the Poisson equation and where the Boltzmann relation relates the potential to the electron density. If the quasi-neutral assumption is made, the Poisson equation is replaced by the constraint of zero local charge and the model reduces to the Isothermal Compressible Euler (ICE) model. We compare a numerical strategy based on the EPB model to a strategy using a reformulation (called REPB formulation). The REPB scheme captures the quasi-neutral limit more accurately

Kinetic hierarchy and propagation of chaos in biological swarm models

We consider two models of biological swarm behavior. In these models, pairs of particles interact to adjust their velocities one to each other. In the first process, called 'BDG', they join their average velocity up to some noise. In the second process, called 'CL', one of the two particles tries to join the other one's velocity. This paper establishes the master equations and BBGKY hierarchies of these two processes. It investigates the infinite particle limit of the hierarchies at large time-scale. It shows that the resulting kinetic hierarchy for the CL process does not satisfy propagation of chaos. Numerical simulations indicate that the BDG process has similar behavior to the CL process

On a one-dimensional steady-state hydrodynamic model for semiconductors

AbstractWe present a hydrodynamic model for semiconductors, where the energy equation is replaced by a pressure-density relationship. We prove existence of smooth solutions and a uniqueness result in the subsonic case, which is characterized by a smallness assumption on the current flowing through the device

An inverse problem in quantum statistical physics

International audienceWe address the following inverse problem in quantum statistical physics: does the quantum free energy (von Neumann entropy + kinetic energy) admit a unique minimizer among the density operators having a given local density $n(x)$? We give a positive answer to that question, in dimension one. This enables to define rigourously the notion of local quantum equilibrium, or quantum Maxwellian, which is at the basis of recently derived quantum hydrodynamic models and quantum drift-diffusion models. We also characterize this unique minimizer, which takes the form of a global thermodynamic equilibrium (canonical ensemble) with a quantum chemical potential

Nematic alignment of self-propelled particles: from particle to macroscopic dynamics

Starting from a particle model describing self-propelled particles interacting through nematic alignment, we derive a macroscopic model for the particle density and mean direction of motion. We first propose a mean-field kinetic model of the particle dynamics. After diffusive rescaling of the kinetic equation, we formally show that the distribution function converges to an equilibrium distribution in particle direction, whose local density and mean direction satisfies a cross-diffusion system. We show that the system is consistent with symmetries typical of a nematic material. The derivation is carried over by means of a Hilbert expansion. It requires the inversion of the linearized collision operator for which we show that the generalized collision invariants, a concept introduced to overcome the lack of momentum conservation of the system, plays a central role. This cross-diffusion system poses many new challenging questions

Kinetic formulation and global existence for the Hall-Magneto-hydrodynamics system

This paper deals with the derivation and analysis of the the Hall Magneto-Hydrodynamic equations. We first provide a derivation of this system from a two-fluids Euler-Maxwell system for electrons and ions, through a set of scaling limits. We also propose a kinetic formulation for the Hall-MHD equations which contains as fluid closure different variants of the Hall-MHD model. Then, we prove the existence of global weak solutions for the incompressible viscous resistive Hall-MHD model. We use the particular structure of the Hall term which has zero contribution to the energy identity. Finally, we discuss particular solutions in the form of axisymmetric purely swirling magnetic fields and propose some regularization of the Hall equation

Numerical approximation of the Euler-Maxwell model in the quasineutral limit

International audienceWe derive and analyze an Asymptotic-Preserving scheme for the Euler-Maxwell system in the quasi-neutral limit. We prove that the linear stability condition on the time-step is independent of the scaled Debye length $\lambda$ when $\lambda \to 0$. Numerical validation performed on Riemann initial data and for a model Plasma Opening Switch device show that the AP-scheme is convergent to the Euler-Maxwell solution when $\Delta x/ \lambda \to 0$ where $\Delta x$ is the spatial discretization. But, when $\lambda /\Delta x \to 0$, the AP-scheme is consistent with the quasi-neutral Euler-Maxwell system. The scheme is also perfectly consistent with the Gauss equation. The possibility of using large time and space steps leads to several orders of magnitude reductions in computer time and storage

Quaternions in collective dynamics

We introduce a model of multi-agent dynamics for self-organised motion; individuals travel at a constant speed while trying to adopt the averaged body attitude of their neighbours. The body attitudes are represented through unitary quaternions. We prove the correspondance with the model presented in Ref. [16] where the body attitudes are represented by rotation matrices. Differently from this previous work, the individual based model (IBM) introduced here is based on nematic (rather than polar) alignment. From the IBM, the kinetic and macroscopic equations are derived. The benefit of this approach, in contrast to Ref. [16], is twofold: firstly, it allows for a better understanding of the macroscopic equations obtained and, secondly, these equations are prone to numerical studies, which is key for applications