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A Coulomb collision algorithm for weighted particle simulations
Author(s) -
Miller Ronald H.,
Combi Michael R.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/94gl01835
Subject(s) - coulomb collision , physics , coulomb , momentum (technical analysis) , statistical physics , collision , monte carlo method , energy–momentum relation , particle (ecology) , binary number , kinetic energy , relaxation (psychology) , computational physics , algorithm , classical mechanics , electron , computer science , quantum mechanics , mathematics , geology , statistics , oceanography , computer security , arithmetic , finance , economics , psychology , social psychology
A binary Coulomb collision algorithm is developed for weighted particle simulations employing Monte Carlo techniques. Charged particles within a given spatial grid cell are pair‐wise scattered, explicitly conserving momentum and implicitly conserving energy. A similar algorithm developed by Takizuka and Abe [1977] conserves momentum and energy provided the particles are unweighted (each particle representing equal fractions of the total particle density). If applied as is to simulations incorporating weighted particles, the plasma temperatures equilibrate to an incorrect temperature, as compared to theory. Using the appropriate pairing statistics, a Coulomb collision algorithm is developed for weighted particles. The algorithm conserves energy and momentum and produces the appropriate relaxation time scales as compared to theoretical predictions. Such an algorithm is necessary for future work studying self‐consistent multi‐species kinetic transport.