 |
| Particle
model simulation |
Plasma science (the study of ionized
gases) is critical to the development
of fusion energy (involving the fusion
of nuclei), which could be an abundant
and attractive energy source in the
future. Early pioneers in fusion research
developed a powerful method of modeling
the behavior of large systems of particles,
using the basic equations of motion
for interacting charged and neutral
particles. The particle-in-cell technique
involves dividing the physical space
into cells and using statistical methods
within individual cells to reduce
the number of particles required to
model a system. Such simulations have
offered insight into the behavior
of plasmas in fusion devices by providing
predictions of basic spectral and
spatial properties of plasma turbulence
that can be compared with diagnostic
measurements. Researchers with Office
of Science funding at University of
California campuses in Los Angeles
and Berkeley, as well as Stanford
University, made important contributions
to this work, and an early pioneer
won the American Physical Society's
James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma
Physics in 1977.
Scientific Impact:
This technique has been used to gain
many new insights into the behavior
of plasmas in confinement devices.
The simulations also can be used to
validate the analytical treatment
of highly nonlinear problems encountered
in plasma turbulence such as chaotic
and intermittent behavior.
Social Impact: This
work contributes to efforts to develop
fusion as an attractive energy source.
Particle techniques also have been
used successfully to study highly
nonlinear and turbulent weather patterns,
and in smooth particle hydrodynamics
to study the dynamics of high-velocity
projectiles.
Reference: "Theory
of Plasma Simulation Using Finite-Size
Particles," A. B. Langton and C. K.
Birdsall, Physics of Fluids
13, 2115 (1970)
URL:
http://exodus.physics.ucla.edu/dauger/decades.htm
Technical Contact:
Walt Sadowski, Research Division,
301-903-4678
Press Contact: Jeff
Sherwood, DOE Office of Public Affairs,
202-586-5806
SC-Funding Office:
Office of Fusion Energy Sciences |
