Benchmarking 1- and 2-D fluid plasma transport solutions in MAPS (MFEM Anisotropic Transport Solver)

Coupled radio frequency (RF) / plasma transport interactions in the far scrape-off layer (SOL) of a magnetized fusion plasma are thought to drive a number of nonlinear effects close to actuators, including RF enhanced sheath driven EXB convection and ponderomotive forces. Self-consistent modeling is a necessity for robust description of these effects and their impact on heating performance. However, reliably meshing both the plasma and actuator in the far-SOL region is difficult due to the requirements of each: field aligned for the anisotropic plasma transport, and geometry conforming for the RF antenna. In this work we present recent updates and improved benchmarking of the MAPS code. Results from additional 2D, anisotropic heat conduction benchmarks with [Umansky 2005, 2008] are shown, along with 1D comparison with the SD1D code. We will discuss recent updates to the MAPS algorithm, along with planned verification and validation exercises that will include coupling with the MFEM Stix2d electromagnetics solver.

[Umansky 2005] M. V. Umansky, M. S. Day, and T. D. Rognlien, “On numerical solution of strongly anisotropic diffusion equation on misaligned grids”, Numerical Heat Transfer, Part B: Fundamentals 47, 533 (2005).

[Umansky 2008] M. V. Umansky, R. H. Cohen, L. L. LoDestro and X. Q. Xu, “Suite of verification test problems for edge turbulence simulations”, Contributions to Plasma Physics 48, 27 (2008).