Research
Computational Plasma Propulsion & Physics
Our research sits at the intersection of plasma physics, space engineering, numerical methods, and high-performance computing, with an emphasis on high-fidelity fully kinetic modeling.
Key Research Areas
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Kinetic plasma flow & physics
Within kinetic plasma flow, we conduct research specifically on:
Spacecraft electric-propulsion modeling
Space-plasma turbulence and instability
Low-temperature plasma devices
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Computational plasma physics
Our computational plasma physics research has applications in:
Algorithms and software for grid-based Vlasov methods
Particle methods
High-dimensional phase-space dynamics
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High performance computing
In the field of high performance computing, we examine:
Parallel decomposition
Scalable solvers
Heterogeneous computing approaches for large kinetic plasma simulations
Method Spotlight: Grid-based Vlasov Simulation
The Vlasov formulation evolves the distribution function directly in phase space, providing a continuum description of collisionless plasma without particle sampling noise. This enables detailed examination of electron kinetics, non-Maxwellian distributions, heat flux, instability, and beam expansion.
Vlasolver combines operator splitting with semi-Lagrangian stepping and conservative phase-space advection. Charge density is coupled self-consistently through Poisson's equation.
A typical Vlasolver time step
- Spatial advection - advance the distribution in physical space for half a time step along characteristics.
- Field solve - compute charge density and update electric potential and electric field using Poisson's equation.
- Velocity-space acceleration - advance the distribution in velocity space for a full time step under the electromagnetic acceleration.
- Spatial advection - complete the second half-step in physical space to obtain the next distribution function state.
Electric-propulsion beam expansion
Electron kinetics, anisotropic cooling, heat flux, and beam evolution beyond simplified closures.
Spacecraft interaction
Plasma plume behavior near spacecraft surfaces and implications for integration, charging, and contamination.
Plasma instability & turbulence
Whistler turbulence, anisotropy instabilities, kinetic-range fluctuations, and nonlinear saturation.
Numerical method fidelity
Quantifying noise, phase-space resolution, and the differences between Vlasov and particle-in-cell descriptions.
- 1D1V: serial and parallel.
- 2D2V: serial and parallel, with or without an external magnetic field.
- 3D3V: parallel electrostatic/electromagnetic capability - under active development.
- Physical-domain decomposition with neighbor communication through guard cells.
- Object-oriented code structure with mesh/control utilities, field containers, Poisson solver, Vlasov solver, initialization/boundary-condition support, and diagnostics.