Physics-Based-Adaptive Plasma Model for High-Fidelity Numerical Simulations

Abstract

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A physics-based-adaptive plasma model and an appropriate computational algorithm are developed to numerically simulate plasma phenomena in high fidelity. The physics-based-adaptive plasma model can be dynamically refined based on the local plasma conditions to increase model fidelity uniformity throughout the domain at all times of the simulation. The adaptive plasma model uses continuum representations of the plasma, which include a kinetic Vlasov model for the highest fidelity, multi-fluid 5N-moment plasma model, and single-fluid MHD model for the lowest fidelity. The models include evolution equations for the electromagnetic fields, electron species, ion species, and neutral species. A nodal discontinuous Galerkin finite element method is implemented and is coupled with various implicit and explicit Runge-Kutta methods. Various model coupling techniques are investigated for a 5N-moment multi-fluid models with a Vlasov-Maxwell model, and a 5N-moment two-fluid model with an MHD model. Continuum plasma models using consistent normalizations and identical spatial representations provide straightforward and accurate coupling between the models. The solution approach offers high-order accuracy and computational efficiency. Target compute platforms are heterogeneous computer architectures using a compute model that minimizes data movement.

Keywords

• high-fidelity plasma models
• physics-based adaptivity
• multi-fluid plasma models
• continuum kinetic plasma model
• Vlasov-Maxwell
• magnetohydrodynamics