Continuum kinetic simulations of the plasma sheath for an emitting material surface

The dynamics of the plasma sheath, which forms near a material surface, are of great interest to applications in plasma propulsion systems and fusion devices. Electron impact against the wall results in secondary electron emission into the sheath which can influence its evolution and structure. This work applies theory describing the plasma interaction with a material boundary wall to continuum kinetic sheath simulations. The Vlasov-Maxwell equations are discretized and evolved using the discontinuous Galerkin method with the Gkeyll code. The computational implementation of the physical models is discussed, and studies illustrating the significance of different material properties and magnetic field configurations on the behavior of the sheath are presented for physically relevant cases and regimes.