dHybrid: a massively parallel code for hybrid simulations of space plasmas

Abstract

A massively parallel simulation code, called dHybrid, has been developed to perform global scale studies of space plasma interactions. This code is based on an explicit hybrid model; the numerical stability and parallel scalability of the code are studied. A stabilization method for the explicit algorithm, for regions of near zero density, is proposed. Three-dimensional hybrid simulations of the interaction of the solar wind with unmagnetized artificial objects are presented, with a focus on the expansion of a plasma cloud into the solar wind, which creates a diamagnetic cavity and drives the Interplanetary Magnetic Field out of the expansion region. The dynamics of this system can provide insights into other similar scenarios, such as the interaction of the solar wind with unmagnetized planets.