Introduction to Computational Plasma Physics

3 credits · College of Engineering catalogue

Advisory Prerequisite: None. Enforced Prerequisite: NERS 471 or 571. Minimum grade requirement of “B” for enforced prerequisite. (3 credits) An introduction to plasma simulation techniques, including fluid and Vlasov descriptions. Stability analysis. Finite difference and volume methods. The particle-in-cell method. Boundary conditions. Field solvers. Students will develop an understanding in the relationship between the hierarchy of kinetic models describing plasmas and their numerical equivalents. A series of short projects will demonstrate numerical modeling of plasma phenomena.