Application of a fourth-order accurate finite-volume method with adaptive refinement in space and time to multifluid plasma simulations

Abstract

A novel multifluid plasma model is developed, based on the finite-volume method, with a fourth-order accurate algorithm and solution-adaptive mesh refinement in space and time. Previously, the order of accuracy of the multifluid plasma model was verified and the solutions to common plasma test cases were demonstrated. In the present work, the multifluid plasma model is applied to solve complex test cases involving discontinuities and shocks. Discussion is thus focused on methods of numerical stabilization and strategies with adaptive mesh refinement. The results show improvements to solution stability and as much as an order of magnitude improvement in compute time due to adaptive mesh refinement.