Plasma Multistreaming and the Viability of Fluid Codes,
Abstract
For plasmas in the collisionless regime, the absence of bulk viscosity permits multistreaming; if this occurs, fluid codes, which by definition prohibit multistreaming, give unphysical results. We show that a fluid code, using an energy propagation equation, will conserve energy but nevertheless can give totally incorrect results if multistreaming occurs. If a temperature propagation equation is used instead, the system continuously loses energy when multistreaming occurs. This energy nonconservation, which is completely independent of cell size and time step, can be used as an internal test for multistreaming, requiring no data outside the fluid code itself. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA070476
Entities
People
- K. R. Chu
- M. Lampe
- P. C. Liewer
- Ryan L. Clark
- Wallace M. Manheimer
Organizations
- University of Maryland