| Abstract: | The finite volume wave propagation method and the finite element RungeKutta
discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) method are studied for applications to balance
laws describing plasma fluids. The plasma fluid equations explored are dispersive and
not dissipative. The physical dispersion introduced through the source terms leads to
the wide variety of plasma waves. The dispersive nature of the plasma fluid equations
explored separates the work in this paper from previous publications. The linearized
Euler equations with dispersive source terms are used as a model equation system to
compare the wave propagation and RKDG methods. The numerical methods are then
studied for applications of the full two-fluid plasma equations. The two-fluid equations
describe the self-consistent evolution of electron and ion fluids in the presence
of electromagnetic fields. It is found that the wave propagation method, when run
at a CFL number of 1, is more accurate for equation systems that do not have disparate
characteristic speeds. However, if the oscillation frequency is large compared
to the frequency of information propagation, source splitting in the wave propagation
method may cause phase errors. The Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin method
provides more accurate results for problems near steady-state as well as problems with
disparate characteristic speeds when using higher spatial orders. |
