Gabor Wave Packet Method to Solve Plasma Wave Equations
Authors: A. Pletzer, C.K. Phillips, and D.N. Smithe
Date of PPPL Report: June 2003
Presented at: the 15th Topical Conference on Radio Frequency Power in Plasmas, Grand Teton National Park,Moran, Wyoming, May 19-21, 2003
A numerical method for solving plasma wave equations arising in the context of mode conversion between the fast magnetosonic and the slow (e.g ion Bernstein) wave is presented. The numerical algorithm relies on the expansion of the solution in Gaussian wave packets known as Gabor functions, which have good resolution properties in both real and Fourier space. The wave packets are ideally suited to capture both the large and small wavelength features that characterize mode conversion problems. The accuracy of the scheme is compared with a standard finite element approach.