Computational Plasmadynamics applied to parametric studies

Abstract

A Three-Dimensional Finite Volume Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian simulation code was developed to study different plasma physics problems in 3D+t. The code is based on a complex multi-component species program with transport and radiation terms written and applied to plasma and fusion physics problems. The integration domain is represented with a structured irregular mesh, with fixed connectivity made of hexahedral cells. Coordinates and velocities are assigned to cell vertices. After each calculation cycle, mesh vertices are moved arbitrary over the fluid. The adaptive method consists of shifting mesh vertices over the fluid in order to keep a reasonable mesh structure and increase the spatial resolution where the physical solution demands. The code was a valuable tool for parametric study of different physical problems, mainly optimization of Plasma Focus Machine, detonation and propagation of thermonuclear reactions, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in the boundary layer of the terrestrial magnetopause. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.