Project C1

Projectleader

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Ruhl
Institute for Theoretical Physics I
Ruhr-University Bochum

Title

Adaptive Mesh Refinement Particle In Cell

Summary

The project is a continuation of project C1 intended to explore and implement Adaptive-Mesh-
Refinement (AMR) Particle-In-Cell (PIC) for Vlasov-Maxwell systems. During the first phase of
the project, having started in November 2009 in Munich, after several tests of AMR concepts a
one-dimensional (1D) implementation of an Adaptive-Mesh-Refinement Finite-Difference-Time-
Domain (AMR-FDTD) scheme has been established. Generic resolution prediction capable of
adapting resolution in space and time regardless of the underlying physical model has been
tested and implemented. Concepts of particle refinement have been explored and successfully
implemented. A code framework (the PSC-framework) has been created to host the new AMR
software. During the next funding period of the research unit 1048 it is planned to merge AMR-
FDTD and particle refinement to obtain a fully functional AMR-PIC code for Vlasov-Maxwell
systems. It is intended to apply the kinetic AMR code to magnetized plasma with multiple
intrinsic scales. Of particular interest is the problem of current sheet formation in reconnecting
plasma as has been outlined before.