Drift-kinetic PIC simulations of plasma flow and energy transport in the magnetic mirror configuration

TL;DR

This paper uses drift-kinetic PIC simulations to analyze plasma flow, energy transport, and temperature effects in magnetic mirror configurations, extending into high-density regimes and comparing with fluid models.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive drift-kinetic PIC simulation approach for magnetic mirrors, including finite temperature effects and collision impacts, extending previous models into high-density regimes.

Findings

Profiles of ion temperatures and heat fluxes match fluid model results.

Collision effects significantly influence electron temperature and electric fields.

High-density plasma behaviors are effectively simulated with implicit PIC methods.

Abstract

Plasma flow and acceleration in a magnetic mirror configuration are studied using a drift-kinetic particles-in-cell model in the paraxial approximation, with an emphasis on finite temperature effects and energy transport. Energy conversion between electrons and ions, overall energy balance, and axial energy losses are investigated. The simulations of plasma flow, acceleration, and energy transport in the magnetic mirror are extended into the high-density regimes with implicit particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that profiles of the anisotropic ion temperatures and heat fluxes obtained with the full drift-kinetic model compare favorably with the results of a fluid model, which includes collisionless ion heat fluxes beyond the two-pressure adiabatic equations. The effects of collisions on trapped electrons and the resulting impacts on electron temperature and electric field profiles are investigated using a model collision operator.