Hybrid Vlasov-MHD models: Hamiltonian vs. non-Hamiltonian

POSTER

Abstract

We investigate hybrid kinetic-MHD models, where a hot plasma (obeying kinetic theory) interacts with a fluid bulk (obeying MHD). Different nonlinear schemes are reviewed, including the pressure-coupling scheme (PCS) used in modern simulations. This latter scheme suffers from being non-Hamiltonian and to not exactly conserve total energy. Upon adopting Vlasov kinetics, the non-Hamiltonian PCS and a Hamiltonian variant are compared. At high frequency, the non-Hamiltonian version exhibits a spurious instability, which is removed in the Hamiltonian version.

Authors

  • Enrico Camporeale

    • Centrum Wiskunde \& Informatica, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • Centrum Wiskunde \& Informatica

  • Cesare Tronci

    • Department of Mathematics, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
    • University of Surrey

  • Emanuele Tassi

    • Centre de Physique Th\'eorique, CNRS, Marseille, France

  • Philip J. Morrison

    • University of Texas at Austin, Institute for Fusion Studies
    • University of Texas at Austin
    • Department of Physics \& Institute of Fusion Studies, University of Texas, Austin
    • University of Texas, Austin
    • The University of Texas at Austin