A hybrid particle method for the kinetic treatment of magnetized plasma sheaths

Tan, Xin Zhi

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116273 Copy

Description

Title

A hybrid particle method for the kinetic treatment of magnetized plasma sheaths

Author(s)

Tan, Xin Zhi

Issue Date

2022-07-20

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Curreli, Davide

Committee Member(s)

Sankaran, R. Mohan

Department of Study

Nuclear, Plasma, & Rad Engr

Discipline

Nuclear, Plasma, Radiolgc Engr

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• hPIC
• Particle-in-cell method
• Plasma sheaths
• Guiding center model
• Fully-kinetic model

Abstract

The guiding center approximation is commonly adopted in fusion particle codes to resolve the motion of charged particles in the core and at the plasma edge of a magnetic fusion device. However, the guiding center approximation does not hold in regions where the field gradients are large, such as the plasma sheath and presheath formed in front of a material surface. Here we present a new hybrid Lagrangian method, which converts the guiding center particles into finite-orbit particles once they reach a region close to the boundary, where the field gradients become large. The domain is divided into a guiding center region and a full-orbit region, and the conversion of the particle is performed both ways. We present numerical results from an implementation of this new scheme within the hPIC Particle-in-Cell developed at Illinois. We show that the approach can accurately resolve the full orbit physics of the plasma sheath, still allowing us to treat the vast majority of the plasma bulk with the usual guiding-center approximation.

Graduation Semester

2022-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Xin Zhi Tan

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