TRIMEG-GKX: An electromagnetic gyrokinetic particle code with a piecewise field-aligned finite element method for micro- and macro-instability studies in tokamak core plasmas
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The features of the TRIMEG-GKX code are described with emphasis on the exploration using novel/different schemes compared to other gyrokinetic codes, particularly the use of object-oriented programming, filter/buffer-free treatment, and a high-order piecewise field-aligned finite element method. The TRIMEG-GKX code solves the electromagnetic gyrokinetic equation using the particle-in-cell scheme, taking into account multi-species effects and shear Alfvén physics. The mixed-variable/pullback scheme has been implemented to enable electromagnetic studies. This code is parallelized using particle decomposition and domain cloning among computing nodes, replacing traditional domain decomposition techniques. The applications to study the micro- and macro-instabilities are demonstrated, including the energetic-particle-driven Alfvén eigenmode, ion temperature gradient mode, and kinetic ballooning mode. Good performance is achieved in both ad hoc and experimentally reconstructed equilibria, such as those of the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG), Tokamak á configuration variable (TCV), and the Joint European Torus (JET). Future studies of edge physics using the high-order C 1 finite element method for triangular meshes in the TRIMEG-C1 code will be built upon the same numerical methods.
Source: Computer Physics Communications
Authors: Zhixin Lu, Guo Meng, Roman Hatzky, Philipp Lauber, Matthias Hoelzl
Institution: Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,160
OpenAlex ID: W7106816602