Numerical investigation of Maxwell–Vlasov equations. Part II: Preliminary tests and validation

We show that with an eighth order scheme the dispersion relation is very accurately reproduced and the numerical Cherenkov effect is small so that a good isotropy is obtained for the phase velocity. The comparison with an exact solution for the Gaussian wave packet confirms the accuracy of the method. The evolution of particles in the plane wave field is considered and an analysis of the first integrals of motion confirm the accuracy of the characteristics of the distribution function.