Neural network representability of fully ionized plasma fluid model closures

Abstract

The closure problem in fluid modeling is a well-known challenge to modelers aiming to accurately describe their system of interest. Over many years, analytic formulations in a wide range of regimes have been presented but a practical, generalized fluid closure for magnetized plasmas remains an elusive goal. In this study, as a first step towards constructing a novel data based approach to this problem, we apply ever-maturing machine learning methods to assess the capability of neural network architectures to reproduce crucial physics inherent in popular magnetized plasma closures. We find encouraging results, indicating the applicability of neural networks to closure physics but also arrive at recommendations on how one should choose appropriate network architectures for given locality properties dictated by underlying physics of the plasma.