Space Plasma Simulation

The aim of this book is twofold: to provide an introduction for newcomers to state of the art computer simulation techniques in space plasma physics and an overview of current developments. Computer simulation has reached a stage where it can be a highly useful tool for guiding theory and for making predictions of space plasma phenomena, ranging from microscopic to global scales. The various articles are arranged, as much as possible, according to the - derlying simulation technique, starting with the technique that makes the least number of assumptions: a fully kinetic approach which solves the coupled set of Maxwell’s equations for the electromagnetic ?eld and the equations of motion for a very large number of charged particles (electrons and ions) in this ?eld. Clearly, this is also the computationally most demanding model. Therefore, even with present day high performance computers, it is the most restrictive in terms of the space and time domain and the range of particle parameters that can be covered by the simulation experiments. It still makes sense, therefore, to also use models, which due to their simp- fying assumptions, seem less realistic, although the e?ect of these assumptions on the outcome of the simulation experiments needs to be carefully assessed.

The aim of this book is twofold: to provide an introduction for newcomers to state of the art computer simulation techniques in space plasma physics and an overview of current developments. Computer simulation has reached a stage where it can be a highly useful tool for guiding theory and for making predictions of space plasma phenomena, ranging from microscopic to global scales. The various articles are arranged, as much as possible, according to the - derlying simulation technique, starting with the technique that makes the least number of assumptions: a fully kinetic approach which solves the coupled set of Maxwell’s equations for the electromagnetic ?eld and the equations of motion for a very large number of charged particles (electrons and ions) in this ?eld. Clearly, this is also the computationally most demanding model. Therefore, even with present day high performance computers, it is the most restrictive in terms of the space and time domain and the range of particle parameters that can be covered by the simulation experiments. It still makes sense, therefore, to also use models, which due to their simp- fying assumptions, seem less realistic, although the e?ect of these assumptions on the outcome of the simulation experiments needs to be carefully assessed.

The emergence over the past several years of space plasma simula tions as a distinct field of endeavor, rather than simply the somewhat startling offspring of plasma physics, computer simulations and space observations, has necessitated a concentrated effort at interdigitat ing its parent and component fields. After several years of working the benefits of a well-defined interactive community of those without working in the field, a group of those who had gained greatly from setting up joint research projects and other lines of communication, arranged to further these gains by setting up the First International School for Space Simulations, which was organized by Kyoto University and held in Kyoto, Japan in November 1982. Its unqualified success led to the organization of the second such School, this time by the University of California, Los Angeles, and held in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. The Second International School for Space Simulations drew some 175 attendees from around the world; the distribution of attendees approached the targeted equal representation by established investi gators and graduate students/beginning investigators. This strong attendance by graduate students and beginning investigators was due to the generous support of a number of funding agencies from the United States and Japan as well as international scientific organizations.

This book is a collection of contributions covering the major subjects in numerical simulation of space and astrophysical plasma. It introduces the different approaches and methods to model plasma, the necessary computational codes, and applications in the field. The book is rooted in the previous work Space Plasma Simulation (Springer, 2003) and includes the latest developments. It is divided into three parts and all chapters start with an introduction motivating the topic and its use in research and ends with a discussion of its applications. The chapters of the first part contain tutorials of the different basic approaches needed to perform space plasma simulations. This part is particularly useful for graduate students to master the subject. The second part presents more advanced materials for students and researchers who already work with pre-existing codes but want to implement the recent progresses made in the field. The last part of the book discusses developments in the area for researchers who are actively working on advanced simulation approaches like higher order schemes and artificial intelligence, agent-based technologies for multiscale and multi-dimensional systems, which represent the recent innovative contributions made in space plasma research.

The study of plasmas is crucial in improving our understanding of the universe, and they are being increasingly utilised in key technologies such as spacecraft thrusters, plasma medicine, and fusion energy. Providing readers with an easy to follow set of examples that clearly illustrate how simulation codes are written, this book guides readers through how to develop C++ computer codes for simulating plasmas primarily with the kinetic Particle in Cell (PIC) method. This text will be invaluable to advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics and engineering looking to learn how to put the theory to the test. Features: Provides a step-by-step introduction to plasma simulations with easy to follow examples Discusses the electrostatic and electromagnetic Particle in Cell (PIC) method on structured and unstructured meshes, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), and Vlasov solvers Covered topics include Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) collisions, surface interactions, axisymmetry, and parallelization strategies. Lubos Brieda has over 15 years of experience developing plasma and gas simulation codes for electric propulsion, contamination transport, and plasma-surface interactions. As part of his master’s research work, he developed a 3D ES-PIC electric propulsion plume code, Draco, which is to this date utilized by government labs and private aerospace firms to study plasma thruster plumes. His Ph.D, obtained in 2012 from George Washington University, USA, focused on a multi-scale model for Hall thrusters utilizing fluid-kinetic hybrid PIC codes. He has since then been involved in numerous projects involving development and the use of plasma simulation tools. Since 2014 he has been teaching online courses on plasma simulations through his website: particleincell.com.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 102. Space plasma measurements are conducted in a hostile, remote environment. The art and science of measurements gathered in space depend therefore on unique instrument designs and fabrication methods to an extent perhaps unprecedented in experimental physics. In-situ measurement of space plasmas constitutes an expensive, unforgiving, and highly visible form of scientific endeavor.