Student Award Finalist: Advances in the three-dimensional simulation of streamer discharges

We have implemented a 2D and 3D streamer model inside AFiVO, a simulation framework that we have recently developed. We use numerical techniques such as adaptive mesh refinement, parallel multigrid and a novel implementation of photoionization to push simulations to new limits. This allows us to study the interaction of two streamers in 3D, the branching of streamers in 3D, or the propagation of a streamer over a dielectric surface. Simulations in 2D also benefit, allowing for a relatively interactive exploration of parameter regimes. We present highlights of the new simulation possibilities.