Monte Carlo-PIC simulation of plasma flows with space applications

摘要

Summary form only given, as follows. Particle simulations of space plasma flows are presented. The first case involves the simulation of a partially ionized hydrogen plume. The direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used for the neutral flow component and a PIC based methodology is used for the ionized component. The second case involves the PIC-MC simulation of a fully ionized flowing plasma that includes large dust particles. Collisions of plasma species with the dust particles are modeled via a Monte Carlo operator. The simulation results are compared to analytic solutions. Differences in the computational strategies involved in these two cases are discussed.