Hybrid simulation algorithms for plasma accelerators

We describe hybrid particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithms which are used to model plasma jet accelerators for use in fusion energy research and other HEDP applications [1]. An electron-magnetohydrodynamic (EMHD) model has been developed and ported to the EM-PIC code LSP [2] to allow for modeling of dense plasma jets. This model, which uses PIC particles for ions and assumes that the electrons form a fluid which maintains the quasineutrality of the plasma, circumvents the need for prohibitively small timesteps needed to resolve electron plasma frequencies at high densities. Hall physics, important to the description of plasma jets, but usually neglected in standard MHD, are retained in this formulation. Plasma jet simulation results using the EMHD algorithm are presented and are compared to implicit PIC simulations at intermediate plasma densities (∼1016 cm⁻³).