Numerische Untersuchungen charakteristischer Größen eines Plasmamodells

Abstract

A fully 3-dimensional plasma consisting of up to 96 charged particles is simulated in a computer. The plasma is confined to a sphere (or cube) with specularly reflecting walls. The forces are computed using a predictor corrector method with variable time steps. From initial configurations randomly chosen the evolution of the plasma is followed numerically. Distribution functions and moments with respect to various phase variables are obtained as time averages: The distribution of velocity, kinetic and potential energy, of the electric microfield, the micropotential as measured at a neutral point of reference (usually the center of the system), the mean square electric field, the microfield correlation function and the particle relaxation times. As the sphere used in the experiments has dimensions only slightly larger than the Debye sphere, collective phenomena and those due to major density fluctuations cannot be expected. Despite these limitations the mean electric field is found to be high by approx. 10% compared to the Holtsmark field. Furthermore other comparisons to existing theories with respect to the variables already mentioned are carried out. © 1968, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.