Electromagnetic Simulation Software for Strongly Coupled Plasmas

The objective of this effort is to provide next generation plasma physics modeling tools for accurate simulation of phenomenology occurring in exceptionally wide-ranging states of matter. This modeling tool will enable scientists and engineers to design robust, reliable systems operating in the harsh environments of extraordinary temperature, density, and charge-states. These designs will support directed-energy, satellite, spacecraft and other DoD programs. Presently there is no accurate physics code which provides valid design solutions. Under Air Force SBIR/STTR Phase II and enhancement support, Voss Scientific is developing a novel plasma simulation code capable of evaluating plasma evolution across unprecedented spatial, temporal, and energy scales. Evolving out of strongly coupled plasma physics simulation work for modeling transport parameters, the CHICAGO simulation code is being developed to take advantage of the latest advanced high-performance computer systems utilizing co-processor accelerators. The code developed here will be a parallel, implicit electromagnetic, finite-difference time-domain, particle-in-cell code, with a three-level domain decomposition scheme for massively parallel computer architectures. CHICAGO is an innovative approach to seamlessly transition between different plasma regimes (quasi-neutral, multi-fluid, and kinetic) using a particle-based methodology which provides multi-scale plasma modeling capabilities. Initial application will provide a detailed understanding of space-based solar cell flashover phenomena.