Research Projects

Particle-in-Cell Plasma Oscillations with 4 to 256 Cells

*** THIS PROJECT IS NO LONGER ACTIVE ***

Jonathan Noland¹ and Charles K. (Ned) Birdsall

Questions arise on changing the numbers of grid cells used in our XES1 periodic electrostatic code, using first order (linear) weighting, with two electrons, excited in the fundamental mode by an initial velocity, ν₁. We present graphs of the two particles in Ν₁ - x space, E(x), Ρ(x), and Φ(x) with o < x < L. We start with a coarse grid of 4 cells, then 16, 64 and finally a fine grid of 256 cells. The two particles motion are periodic, initiated by Ν_x - x space, and periods near 2Π, for ω_p set equal to 1 at t=0. The charge densities start as broad triangles, narrowing to fit one or two cells (spikes). The oscillation periods are close to 2Π in all runs, as shown in the final graph.

Poster paper at ICOPS 2006, Traverse City, Michigan, June 4-8, 2006.

¹Department of AS&T