Extending the binary collision algorithm to non-Spitzer systems and application to laser heating and damage
Abstract
We have generalized the binary collision algorithm to accommodate arbitrary collision rates, enabling the accurate kinetic modeling of short range particle interactions in non-Spitzer systems. With this extension, we explore the effect of different collision models on simulating how ultra-intense lasers first begin to heat a target. The effect of collisions on plasma evolution is crucial for treating particle slowing, energy transport, and thermalization. The widely used binary collision algorithm provides a fast and computationally efficient method to include the effects of collisions between charged particles in kinetic simulations without requiring the particles to be in local thermal equilibrium already. However, it is “hardwired” to use Spitzer collision rates that are appropriate for hot, relatively dilute plasmas. This restriction prevents the Nanbu collision algorithm from accurately describing the initial heating of a cold target, a key problem for the study of laser damage or the generation of the warm dense matter state. We describe our approach for modifying the Nanbu collision algorithm and demonstrate the improved accuracy for copper targets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4995268
Entities
People
- Alex Russell
- Douglass Schumacher
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Ohio State University