From: "Bruce D. Scott" <Use-Author-Supplied-Address-Header@[127.1]>
Subject: Re: about the plasma simulation by PIC
Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
Organization: mail2news@dizum.com


Self forces are avoided in PIC methods usually by choosing finite sized
particles. After the particles are moved, the charge assignment is
done by placing pieces of each particle to a compact set of grid nodes.
In one dimension, the particle will fall between two grid nodes. The
charge is assigned to each of these two nodes (and sometimes a piece
goes to the nearest "second node") according to the algorithm you're
using. It is simple to show that the self forces arising from this are
small, and the self consistent part dominates.

See the book by Eastwood for futher detail.

--
cu,
Bruce

drift wave turbulence: http://www.rzg.mpg.de/~bds/

.