Hybrid simulation of collisionless shock waves in space plasma

Abstract

A new version of a multiprocessor 3D hybrid code is described, which makes it possible to simulate the formation and evolution of collisionless shock waves in a multicomponent space plasma with ions of different masses and charge states. The algorithm ensures exact conservation of zero magnetic field divergence and self-consistent electric field dynamics and is of the second order of accuracy in time. The peculiarities of the effect of the boundary conditions at the reflecting wall on the formation of quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular shock waves are analyzed. It is shown that the rates of collisionless relaxation of ions to quasi-equilibrium distributions for quasi-longitudinal and quasi-transverse shock waves are substantially different.