PIC simulations of magnetospheres in laboratory and astrophysical scenarios

Particle-in-cell (PIC) is a method to solve the self-consistent interaction between plasma particles and fields with nearly no approximations for space and time scales larger than the quantum scales. Being able to resolve plasma kinetic scales, PIC simulations are an excellent tool to model the interaction between plasmas and magnetized obstacles and objects where fluid approximations break down. 
        
In this seminar, I will present OSIRIS [1] PIC simulations of magnetospheres formed in difference space and astrophysical scenarios. In particular, I will show numerical simulations of collisionless shocks formed in miniature lunar and cometary magnetospheres [2] and their role in the X-ray emission from these objects, including a connection with recent experimental work [3].
        
I will also present PIC modules recently included in the OSIRIS framework and specially developed for a 2D axisymmetric spherical geometry, including a new method to accurately deposit the current carried by PIC particles while conserving charge, and a Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) module to model pair cascades in global pulsar models from first principles. Simulations with an artificial plasma source are used to recover the main force-free limit features of pulsar magnetospheres, and serve as an important benchmark for the recently developed PIC modules. A preliminary comparison between simulations without and with QED effects will also be presented.

Speaker: Fabio Cruz, Univ. of Lisbon