Drift-kinetic PIC simulations of plasma flow and energy transport in the magnetic mirror configuration

Abstract: Plasma flow and acceleration in a magnetic mirror configuration are studied using a drift-kinetic particles-in-cell model in the paraxial approximation, with an emphasis on finite temperature effects and energy transport. Energy conversion between electrons and ions, overall energy balance, and axial energy losses are investigated. The simulations of plasma flow, acceleration, and energy transport in the magnetic mirror are extended into the high-density regimes with implicit particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that profiles of the anisotropic ion temperatures and heat fluxes obtained with the full drift-kinetic model compare favorably with the results of a fluid model, which includes collisionless ion heat fluxes beyond the two-pressure adiabatic equations. The effects of collisions on trapped electrons and the resulting impacts on electron temperature and electric field profiles are investigated using a model collision operator.