Gyrokinetic Theory and Simulation

• Drift Kinetic Vlasov-Poisson equations

- Guiding center motion
- ExB drift and Polarization Drift
- Lowest order gyrokinetic-Poisson equations

• Gyrokinetic Vlasov-Poisson equations

- Gyrokinetic ordering
- Gyrocenter coordinates
- Gyrophase averaging

• Gyrokinetic particle pushing

- Coordinates transformation

• Gyrokinetic field solver

- Integral equation
- Pede approximation
 Magnetized Vlason-Poisson Equations
! "
dF ∂F ∂F q 1 ∂F
≡ +v· + E+ v×B · =0
dt ∂t ∂x m c ∂v
!
∇2 φ = −4πe (Fi − Fe )dv E = −∇φ
- Linear Properties for a magnetized plasma
2 2 2 2 2 k2 2 k2
ωpi k⊥ ωpe k⊥ ωpi " ωpe "
!≡1+ 2 + − − =0
Ωi − ω 2 k 2 Ω2e − ω 2 k 2 ω2 k2 ω2 k2
2 2
gives the lower hybrid waves, ωLH = ωpi + Ω2i

the upper hybrid waves,

2
ωU H = ωpe + Ωe
2 2
} -- space charge waves

- Linear Properties for a plasma with gyrating ions and drift kinetic electrons,
2 2 2 k2
ωpi k⊥ ωpe " 2 2
!≡1+ 2 − =0 ωLH = ωpi + Ω2i -- lower hybrid waves
Ωi − ω 2 k 2 ω2 k2

- Linear Properties for a plasma with gyrokinetic ions and drift kinetic electrons,
2 2 k2 2
ωpi 2
k⊥ ωpe " 2
Ω2i , k!2 2 mi k! -- Quasineutral waves
!≡1+ 2 2 − 2 2 =0 ωpi ! " k⊥ 2
ωH =
Ωi k ω k 2
me k⊥ [Lee, ‘87]
- Linear Properties for a drift kinetic plasma
2 k2
ωpi 2 k2
ωpe k!2
! !
!≡1− 2 2 − 2 2 =0 ω 2 = ωpe
2 plasma waves with k!2 ! k 2
ω k ω k k2
 Drift-Kinetic-Poisson Equations
d ∂F c ∂F q ∂F
F (x, v! , t) ≡ + (v! + E × b̂) · + E! · =0
dt ∂t B ∂x m ∂v
!
∇2 φ = −4πe (Fi − Fe )dv! E = −∇φ
vte vti
• Drift Kinetic Approximation: ρe [≡ ]→0 ρ i [≡ ]→0
Ωe Ω i
c
• Lowest order guiding center motion: v = v! + E × b̂
B
• Next order guiding center motion: v = v! + vE×B + vpL

c mc2 ∂∇⊥ φ vpL ω

vE×B = E × b̂ vp = − 2
L
-- polarization drift ∝ "1
B eB ∂t vE×B Ωi
! 2
∂np ∂ 1 ωpi
+ · vpL Figc dv = 0 ρp = ∇2⊥ φ
∂t ∂x 4π Ωi
2

2 !
ωpi
∇ φ + 2 ∇2⊥ φ = −4πe
2
(Fi − Fe )dv"
Ωi

• Lowest order gyrokinetic approximation:

cs vte vti
ρs [≡ ] "= 0 ρe [≡ ]→0 ρi [≡ ]→0
Ωi Ωe Ωi
 Gyrokinetic Ordering
• Dispersion relation for magnetized plasmas (gyrating ions and drift kinetic electrons)
2 2 2 k2
ωpi k⊥ ωpe "
!≡1+ 2 − =0
Ωi − ω 2 k 2 ω2 k2

2 2
• Lower hybrid waves, ωLH = ωpi + Ω2i ≈ ωpi
2
-- space charge waves

• Electrostatic shear Alfven waves for ω ! Ωi

k! ωpe
ω = ±ωH ≡ ±( )( )Ωi -- quasineutral waves
k ωpi

• Polarization response is frequency independent

• Gyrokinetic ordering [Rutherford and Frieman ‘68]

ω/Ω ∼ ρi /Le q ∼ k! ρi ∼ eΦ/Te ∼ δB/B0 ∼ O($)

k⊥ ρi ∼ O(1)
 Nonlinear Gyrokinetic Equations

• In the late seventies, two different routes were taken at PPPL to develop the nonlinear gyrokinetic
equation based on the gyrokinetic ordering by Rutherford and Frieman.

- Frieman and Chen, Phys. Fluids 25, 505 (1982).

- Lee, Phys. Fluids 26, 556 (1983).

• The main philosophical difference is that one is looking for the next order nonlinear modifications
to the linear gyrokinetic equations while the other is looking for the nonlinear equations that can be
used for simulations.

• The starting point is the same

! "
dF ∂F ∂F q 1 ∂F
≡ +v· + E+ v×B · =0
dt ∂t ∂x m c ∂v
!
∇2 φ = −4πe (Fi − Fe )dv

E = −∇φ
 Gyrokinetic Vlasov Equation [Lee, PF ‘83] ρ v - ion

• Gyrokinetic change of variables

F (x, v, t) → F (R, µ, U,ϕ , t)
b̂ - out of the board x
x=R+ρ R
• Vlasov equation in new variables
∂F c ∂F q ∂F
+ (U b̂ + E × b̂) · + E · b̂ -- drift-kinetic-like terms
∂t B ∂R m ∂U
∂ρ ∂F ∂µ ∂F ∂U ∂F ∂ϕ ∂F
+v · ( · + + + ) -- toroidal geometry terms
∂x ∂R ∂x ∂µ ∂x ∂U ∂x ∂ϕ

∂F q v⊥ ∂F b̂ × v⊥ ∂F
−Ω + E·( + 2 )=0 -- fast gyromotion terms
∂ϕ m B ∂µ v⊥ ∂ϕ
2
! "
v mc U
b̂ ≡ B/B, B = |B|, µ ≡ ⊥ 1 − b̂ · ∇× b̂ ,
2B e B
ρ = b̂ × v⊥ /Ω, v⊥ = v⊥ (cosϕê1 + sinϕê2 ), b̂ = ê1 × ê2 , v = U b̂ + v⊥

E(x) = −∇Φ(x)

• Mixed representations between gyrocenter coordinates R and original particle coordinates X.

 Gyrokinetic Vlasov Equation (cont.)
• Invoking gyrokinetic ordering to the lowest order to obtain

∂F
Ω =0 -- F is independent of phase to the lowest order
∂ϕ
• Let F = f + !g(ϕ) where f != f (ϕ)

∂f cE × b̂ ∂f q ∂f -- drift-kinetic-like terms
+ (U b̂ + )· + E · b̂
∂t B ∂R m ∂U
∂ρ ∂f ∂µ ∂f ∂U ∂f
+v · ( · + + ) -- toroidal geometry terms
∂x ∂R ∂x ∂µ ∂x ∂U

∂ qΦ ∂f
−Ω (g − )=0 -- fast gyromotion terms
∂ϕ mB ∂µ

∂Φ ∂Φ
by using ≈
∂x ∂R
∂Φ ∂Φ
Ω = −v⊥ ·
∂ϕ ∂R

∂Φ/∂v = 0
 Gyrokinetic Vlasov Equation (cont.)

• Taking gyrophase average of the equation for f to obtain

∂f dR ∂f dU ∂f
+ · + =0
∂t dt ∂R dt ∂U

! 2 2
"
dR c U ∂ v⊥ ∂lnB
= U b̂ + Ē × b̂ + b̂ × (b̂ · )b̂ +
dt B Ω ∂R 2Ω ∂R
2
! "
dU q v⊥ ∂lnB U ∂
= ( Ē − ) · b̂ + b̂ × (b̂ · )b̂
dt m 2 ∂R Ω ∂R
!
Ē(R) ≡ E(x)dϕ/2π

• Valid for ρs /Leq ∼ O(")

Φ2 terms are neglected - [Dubin et al., PF ‘83]

 Gyrokinetic Poisson’s Equation [Lee, PF ‘83]

• Now, we know how to calculate f in F = f + !g(ϕ), what about g?

• To the lowest order, we assume

q ∂f
g= [Φ(x) − Φ̄(R)]
mB ∂µ
• Thus, we have

q ∂f
F =f+ (Φ − Φ̄)
mB ∂µ

• What is Φ̄ ?
! !
Φ(x) = Φ(k)exp(ik · x) = Φ(k) exp(ik · R + ik · ρ)
k k
! " #
1 k⊥ v⊥
Φ̄(R) = dϕ Φ(x)δ(x − R − ρ)dx = Φ(k)J0 ( )exp(ik · R)
2π Ω
k
!
1 k⊥ v⊥
!e±ik·ραj "ϕ ≡ dϕ exp(±ik · ρ) = J0 ( )
2π Ω
Ē = −∂ Φ̄/∂R
 Gyrokinetic Poisson’s Equation [Lee, PF ‘83]
∂f ∂F0
• Let ≈
∂µ ∂µ
q ∂f q
F =f+ (Φ − Φ̄) F =f− [Φ(x) − Φ̄]F0
mB ∂µ T

• Gyrokinetic Poisson’s equation

ni0
∇2 Φ − τ (Φ − Φ̃) = −4πe(n̄i − ne )
n0 λ2De

≈ 0 Polarization density
Quasineutral response
! " ! "
1 k⊥ v⊥
n̄i (x) = dϕ f (R)δ(R − x + ρ)BdRdU dµ = f (k)J 0 ( )exp(ik · x)BdU dµ
2π Ω
! k

ne (x) = fe (R)δ(R − x)BdRdU dµ

!
ni0 (x) = F0i (x)dU dµ
! " !
1 2 2
Φ̃(x) = dϕ Φ̄(R)F0i (x)δ(R − x + ρ)BdRdU dµ = Φ(k)Γ0 (k⊥ ρi )exp(ik · x)
2π
! ∞ k
1 2
Γ0 (b) ≡ I0 (b) exp(−b) = 2 exp(−v⊥ /2vt2 )J02 (k⊥ v⊥ /Ω)v⊥ dv⊥
vt 0
 Gyrokinetic Particle Simulation [Lee, JCP ‘87]
• Particle pushing is carried out in the gyrocenter coordinates based on
the gyrokinetic Vlasov equation

-- gyromotion of a particle is approximated by a charged ring moving along the field line

• Field is solved in the laboratory (original particle) coordinates based on +

the gyrokinetic Poisson equation B

• Efficient coordinates transformation between R and x can be achieved +

through 4-point average.

!
∞
1!
L
i2πnl
±ik·ραj
!e "ϕ = Jn (k⊥ ραj ) exp( )
L L
n=−∞ l=1 ρ
!
∞ v - ion
1 cos nπ
L
= Jn (k⊥ ραj ) sin2πn nπ
n=−∞
2L sin L

x
= J0 + O(J±mL ), m = 1, 2, 3, · · ·
R
L → ∞, we recover Jo
b̂ - out of the board
L = 4 is good for k⊥ ρi ≤ 2
 Gyrokinetic Particle Simulation (cont.)

2 2
• Gyrokinetic Poisson’s equation in k-space: b ≡ k⊥ ρi

eΦ eΦ n̄i (k) − ne (k)

k 2 λ2D (k) + τ [1 − Γ0 (b)] (k) =
Te Te n0
2 2
• Gyrokinetic Poisson’s equation in the limit of k⊥ ρi ! 1

eΦ n̄i − ne
ρ2s ∇2⊥ =−
Te n0
1
• Pade approximation: Γ0 ≈
1+b

eΦ n̄i − ne
ρ2s ∇2⊥ = −(1 − ρ2i ∇2⊥ )
Te n0

• Energy Conservation

! " 2
v⊥ U2 2
v⊥ 1 ! 2 2 τ !
mα ! ( + )Fα d dU "+ k |Φ(k)| + 2 [1−Γ0 (b)]|Φ(k)|2 = const.
α=e,i
2 2 2 8π 8πλD
k k