PhD student in solar physics, multi-fluid plasma modeling with COOLFluiD

Within the framework of C1 TRACESpace, this project will further develop the multi-fluid/Maxwell plasma computational model in COOLFluiD. This model allows for investigating the effects of collisions, chemical processes (ionization, recombination, charge exchange), anisotropic transport and radiation in weakly-to-fully ionized plasmas which cannot be characterized by traditionally used single-fluid MHD models. Following preliminary studies of partially ionized chromospheric plasmas by means of two-fluid models [Laguna et al, 2016 (JCP), Laguna et al, 2018 (ApJ)], COOLFluiD will be used to further investigate the role played by neutrals in fundamental processes (e.g. magnetic reconnection, turbulence) in solar plasmas in more realistic configurations involving 3D magnetic flux emergence and coronal loops. To this end, the corresponding data-driven simulations, imposing real magnetogram data (e.g. from GONG) at the photospheric boundary, will be performed by means of (1) the existing two-fluid (ion-neutral) formulation and (2) a novel three-fluid model to be developed within the project, including electrons, multiple ionic and neutral fluids. Particular focus will be given to study magnetic reconnection in realistic 2D and 3D configurations, also including the effects of non-LTE radiation for which both absorption and emission will be considered by means of Monte Carlo algorithms or alternative radiation transport algorithms (e.g. Finite Volume Discrete Ordinate Method). If time allows, a coupling to the iPIC model from Lapenta’s team will be considered to study a specific 3D magnetic reconnection setup.