This work presents a benchmark study comparing three distinct numerical methods—Particle-In-Cell (PIC), semi-Lagrangian, and N-body simulations—for analyzing the damping of Langmuir waves in a one-dimensional Vlasov–Poisson plasma system. Each approach has unique advantages in terms of accuracy, resolution, and computational cost. The comparison aims to discriminate between numerical artifacts and physical phenomena, identifying the contribution of finite particle numbers and boundary conditions in both linear and nonlinear regimes. The study demonstrates strong agreement between the PIC and semi-Lagrangian methods in both regimes. N-body simulations, while requiring a specific method to overcome statistical noise, agree in the limit of many bodies (>500). Crucial subtleties regarding initial and boundary conditions are discussed throughout.
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