Fletcher, Daniel (Researcher in physics) (2014) Simple collision operators for direct Vlasov solvers. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Existing codes for directly solving for the particle distribution function in laser plasma interaction studies either assume a collisionless plasma or solve for the full Fokker-Planck collision term. The former approach is the basis of an existing code at Warwick (VALIS). The latter approach is computationally expensive and often relies on a spherical harmonic expansion of the distribution function, making the implementation of a laser driver difficult. Here the existing collisionless code is extended by including reduced collision operators based on both the Krook and Fokker-Planck operator. The formulation of a fully conservative velocity-dependent Krook operator that shows agreement classical transport co-efficients in the regimes they are valid. The accuracy of the operator is shown to be improved using a normalisation method to ensure the Krook model yields the same heat flux as the Fokker-Planck model. The Krook model is also shown to be in agreement with full Vlasov-Fokker-Planck simulations of non-local transport. Two forms of a model Fokker-Planck operator are also included as a comparison to other reduced models of collisions.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Laser-plasma interactions
Official Date:	March 2014
Dates:	Date Event March 2014 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Physics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Arber, T. D.
Extent:	vi, 111 leaves : illustrations, charts
Language:	eng

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