A Monte Carlo model for seeded atomic flows in the transition regime

A simple model for the numerical determination of separation effects in seeded atomic gas flows is presented. The model is based on the known possibility to provide a statistically convergent estimate of the exact solution for a linear transport equation using the test particle Monte Carlo method. Accordingly, the flow field of the main gas is preliminary calculated and as a second step the linear transport equations obtained by fixing the target distribution in the collision term of the Boltzmann equation for both main and minority components are solved. Both solutions are based on appropriately devised test particle Monte Carlo methods. The second step, the critical one in evaluating the separation effects, is exact and thereby completely free of numerical diffusion. The model is described in details and illustrated by 2D test cases of atomic separation in shock fronts.