Simulations of Interpenetrating Plasma

Debojyoti Ghosh | 17-ERD-081

Project Overview

This project investigated multifluid models for simulating interpenetrating plasmas. These models solve the Euler equations for each plasma stream along with an appropriate model for electron dynamics. The project developed a novel code, Euclid, that simulates these models using high-order conservative spatial-discretization methods and explicit and semi-implicit time-integration methods. Euclid was used to solve several multifluid test cases representative of plasma dynamics in high-energy-density physics experiments. Kinetic simulations of interpenetrating flows using the LOKI code, which simulates magnetic reconnection, revealed novel physical effects of the ion-ion streaming instability. A new multi-flow collision operator was developed for the LOKI code. A simple model of the ion–ion streaming instability was also developed. This project provided the necessary research foundation to allow high-fidelity multifluid, multispecies plasma simulations.

Mission Impact

This research continued Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's leadership role in plasma physics simulation capabilities and directly advanced the Laboratory's core competencies in high-energy-density science and high-performance computing, simulation, and data science. Specifically, it increased Laboratory expertise in fluid and kinetic plasma models and simulation software for multifluid and kinetic simulations. By providing a unique capability to understand basic plasma physical processes, this project also informed research in the Laboratory's stockpile stewardship mission focus area.

Publications, Presentations, and Patents

Berger, R., et al. 2019. "Multi-Dimensional Simulations of Interpenetrating Plasmas." 49th Anomalous Absorption Conference, Telluride, CO, June 2019. LLNL-ABS-772508

Chapman, T., et al. 2019. "Nonlinear Evolution of the Ion-Ion Streaming Instability in Single- and Multi-Ion Species Plasmas." 61st Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Fort Lauderdale, FL, October 2019. LLNL-ABS-772755

Dimits, A. M., et al. 2018a. "Linearized Coulomb Collision Operator for Simulation of Interpenetrating Plasma Streams." Kinetic Effects in ICF Workshop, Santa Fe, NM, May 2018. LLNL-ABS-748623

——— 2018b. "Linearized Coulomb Collision Operator for Simulation of Interpenetrating Plasma Streams." 45th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Denver, CO, June 2018. LLNL-ABS-747401

——— 2019. "Linearized Coulomb Collision Operator for Simulation of Interpenetrating Plasma Streams." IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science 47 (5): 2074-2080. LLNL-JRNL-759679

Ghosh, D., et al. 2017a. "Simulation of interpenetrating plasmas in 1D with a multifluid approach." 47th Annual Anomalous Absorption Conference, Florence, OR, June 2017. LLNL-ABS-730401

——— 2017b. "A Multifluid Numerical Algorithm for Interpenetrating Plasma Dynamics." 59th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Milwaukee, WI, October 2017. LLNL-PRES-740138

——— 2018a. "A Finite-Volume, Semi-Implicit Multifluid Algorithm for the Simulation of Counterstreaming Plasma Dynamics." SIAM Annual Meeting, Portland, OR, July 2018. LLNL-ABS-745531

——— 2018b. "Numerical Simulation of Counterstreaming Plasma Interactions using a Multifluid Model." 13th World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCMXIII), New York, NY. July 2018. LLNL-PRES-755024

——— 2019a. "Hydrodynamic Simulation of Counterstreaming Plasmas with a Multifluid Model." 72nd Annual Meeting of APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Seattle, WA, November 2019. LLNL-PRES-797421

——— 2019b. "A Multispecies, Multifluid Model for Laser-Induced Counterstreaming Plasma Simulations." Computers and Fluids 186: 38-57. LLNL-JRNL-764617

——— 2019c. "A Multi-Species, Multi-Fluid Model for Simulating Plasma Interpenetration." SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering, Spokane, WA, February/March 2019. LLNL-ABS-757670

——— 2019d. "A Semi-Implicit Algorithm for the Simulation of High-Z Plasma Interpenetration." 15th United States National Congress on Computational Mechanics, Austin, TX, July/August 2019. LLNL-ABS-765541

Joseph, I., et al. 2017. "Multiscale Models for the Two-Stream Instability." 59th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, Milwaukee, WI, October 2017. LLNL-POST-740182

Kavouklis, C., et al. 2018. "A 6th Order Finite Volume Multigrid Poisson Solver." 15th Copper Mountain Conference on Iterative Methods, Copper Mountain, CO, April–May 2018. LLNL-PRES-748633