A new 3D MHD algorithm using a Boltzmann-like distribution function

Summary form only given. A new three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic code has been developed. The 3D MHD equations are solved in conservative form. The code is finite-volume and the hydrodynamic variables are updated in a cell by calculating fluxes across the cell interfaces. The novel feature of the code is that the fluxes of mass, momentum, and energy across cell interfaces are calculated by integrating in velocity space using an appropriate Boltzmann-like distribution function. The electric field along cell edges, which is used to update the magnetic field, is also computed using the Boltzmann-like distribution function. A nonlinear switch between an eighth-order spatial scheme and a low order scheme is used based upon the partial donor cell method (Hain, 1987). The temporal scheme is accurate to second order. Results will be presented for the Brio-Wu shock problem (Brio and Wu, 1988) and compared to other schemes (e.g., FCT). An important aspect of the method is that it can be generalized to incorporate modifications of the 3D MHD equations (e.g., anisotropic ion stress tensor, the Hall term).