Implicit particle simulation of electromagnetic plasma phenomena (Q1195464)

A direct method for the implicit particle simulation of electromagnetic phenomena in magnetized, multi-dimensional plasmas is developed. The method is second-order accurate for \(\omega\Delta t< 1\), with \(\omega\) a characteristic frequency and time step \(\Delta t\). Direct time integration of the implicit equations with simplified space differencing allows the consistent inclusion of finite particle size. Decentered time differencing of the Lorentz force permits the simulation of strongly magnetized plasmas in the limit of zero perpendicular temperature. A Fourier-space iterative technique for solving the implicit field corrector equation, based on the separation of plasma responses perpendicular and parallel to the magnetic field and longitudinal and transverse to the wavevector, is described.