Hybrid kinetic-MHD simulations in general geometry

We present a hybrid kinetic-MHD model consisting of 3 species, the bulk fluid ions and electrons, and a kinetic minority hot particle species. The 3 species equations are derived from moments of the Vlasov Equation and then reduced using the usual hot particle assumption of nh n0, h 0 to formulate the hybrid kinetic MHD model. The 3 species equations reproduce the usual MHD equations with the addition of a hot particle pressure in the momemtum equation. In the limit nh 0, the MHD equations are recovered. These model equations are implemented and examined in the NIMROD code [C.R. Sovinec, et al, "Nonlinear Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations Using Higher-Order Finite Elements", submitted to JCP] which solves three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic initial-value problems using the finite element method(FEM). The finite elements allow the represention of highly shaped geometries, but the particle-in-cell (PIC) method is complicated by the irregular grid. The associated complication...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2004
• Where: CPHYSICS
• Authors: Charlson C. Kim, Carl R. Sovinec, Scott E. Parker
• Keywords: CPHYSICS 2004, Finite Elements, Hot Particle, MHD Equations