SPACE Code for Beam-Plasma Interaction

Abstract

A parallel particle-in-cell code SPACE has been developed for the simulation of electromagnetic fields, relativistic particle beams, and plasmas. The algorithms include atomic processes in the plasma, proper boundary conditions, an efficient method for highly-relativistic beams in non-relativistic plasma, support for simulations in relativistic moving frames, and special data transfer algorithm from the moving to the laboratory frame that collects particles and fields in the lab frame without time shift due to the Lorentz transform, enabling data analysis and visualization. Plasma chemistry algorithms implement atomic physics processes such as the generation and evolution of plasma, recombination of plasma, and electron attachment on dopants in dense neutral gas. Benchmarks and experimental validation tests are also discussed. The code has been used for the simulation of processes relevant to the eRHIC program at BNL and the high pressure RF cavity (HPRF) program at Fermilab.