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At least 1,351 records · Page 75

Compaction of crushed salt for safe containment – a summary of the KOMPASS projects

Abstract. For the underground disposal of high-level nuclear waste in rock salt formations, the safety concept includes the backfilling of open cavities with crushed salt. For the prognosis of the sealing function of the backfill for the safe containment of the radioactive waste, it is crucial to have a comprehensive process understanding of the crushed-salt compaction behavior. The crushed-salt compaction process is influenced by internal properties (e.g., grain size, mineralogy, and moisture content) and boundary conditions (e.g., temperature, stress state, and compaction rate) and, therefore, involves several coupled thermal–hydro–mechanical (THM) processes (Hansen et al., 2014; Kröhn et al., 2017). With the paradigm shift from the limited release of radionuclides to safe containment due to the German Repository Site Selection Act passed in 2017, the importance of crushed salt as geotechnical barrier has increased, with a focus on the evolution of its hydraulic properties. Based on the knowledge gaps in the current process understanding, the “Compaction of crushed salt for safe containment” (KOMPASS) projects were initiated to improve the scientific basis behind using crushed salt for the long-term isolation of high-level nuclear waste within rock salt repositories. The efforts to improve the prediction of crushed-salt compaction begun during the first phase of the KOMPASS projects (Czaikowski et al., 2020) and were followed up in a second phase ending in June 2023. The primary achievements of the projects are as follows (Czaikowski et al., 2020; Friedenberg et al., 2022): specification of the KOMPASS reference material, an easily available and reproducible synthetic crushed-salt material, for generic investigations; development of pre-compaction methods and successful production of samples in the short term and under in situ loading conditions; formulation of an extended laboratory program addressing the isolated investigation of known relevant factors influencing the compaction behavior of crushed salt (Düsterloh et al., 2022); execution of long-term compaction tests addressing isotropic and deviatoric load changes, temperature, and compaction state; construction of a backfill body using the KOMPASS reference material in the Sondershausen mine through collaboration with the SAVER (Entwicklung eines salzgrusbasierten Versatzkonzepts unter der Option Rückholbarkeit) project (Schaarschmidt and Friedenberg, 2022); advancement of the tools for microstructure investigation methods (Svensson and Laurich, 2022); generation (first stages) of a microphysical process list combining literature research with our own findings; benchmarking of long-term compaction test for model development and optimization of various existing models as well as the development of new models; application of a virtual demonstrator (2D model representing a backfilled drift in rock salt) for the visualization of developments and the quantification of the models (Rabbel, 2022). In summary, the KOMPASS projects contributed to the reduction of uncertainties and the strengthening of the safety case for using crushed salt within rock salt repositories.

Friedenberg, Larissa↗

Exploring the Consistency of Water Scarcity Inferences between Large-Scale Hydrologic and Node-Based Water System Model Representations of the Upper Colorado River Basin

Water resources model development and simulation efforts have seen rapid growth in recent decades to aid evaluations and planning around water scarcity and allocation. Models are typically developed by two distinct communities: (1) large-scale hydrologic modelers emphasizing hydroclimatological processes, and (2) water systems modelers emphasizing environmental, infrastructural, and institutional features that shape water scarcity at the local basin level. This study assesses whether two representative models from these communities produce consistent insights when evaluating the water scarcity vulnerabilities in the Upper Colorado River Basin within the state of Colorado. Results showed that although the regional-scale model [model for scale adaptive river transport (MOSART)—water management (WM)] can capture the aggregate effect of all water operations in the basin, it underestimates the subbasin-scale variability in specific user’s vulnerabilities. The basin-scale water systems model [State of Colorado’s Stream Simulation Model (StateMod)] suggests a larger variance of scarcity across the basin’s water users due to its more detailed accounting of local water allocation infrastructure and institutional processes. This model intercomparison highlights potentially significant limitations of large-scale studies in seeking to evaluate water scarcity and actionable adaptation strategies, as well as ways in which basin-scale water systems model’s information can be used to better inform water allocation and shortage when used in tandem with larger-scale hydrological modeling studies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Investigation of Coupled Processes and Impact of High Temperature Limits in Argillite Rock: FY17 Progress. Predecisional Draft

The focus of research within the Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) (formerly called Used Fuel Disposal) Campaign is on repository-induced interactions that may affect the key safety characteristics of EBS bentonite and an argillaceous rock. These include thermal-hydrologicalmechanical- chemical (THMC) process interactions that occur as a result of repository construction and waste emplacement. Some of the key questions addressed in this report include the development of fracturing in the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) and THMC effects on the near-field argillaceous rock and buffer materials and petrophysical characteristics, particularly the impacts of temperature rise caused by waste heat. This report documents the following research activities. Section 2 presents THM model developments and validation, including modeling of underground heater experiments at Mont Terri and Bure underground research laboratories (URLs). The heater experiments modeled are the Mont Terri FE (Full-scale Emplacement) Experiment, conducted as part of the Mont Terri Project, and the TED in heater test conducted in Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (COx) at the Meuse/Haute-Marne (MHM) underground research laboratory in France. The modeling of the TED heater test is one of the Tasks of the DEvelopment of COupled Models and their VAlidation against EXperiments (DECOVALEX)-2019 project. Section 3 presents the development and application of thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical (THMC) modeling to evaluate EBS bentonite and argillite rock responses under different temperatures (100 °C and 200 °C). Model results are presented to help to understand the impact of high temperatures on the properties and behavior of bentonite and argillite rock. Eventually the process model will support a robust GDSA model for repository performance assessments. Section 4 presents coupled THMC modeling for an in situ test conducted at Grimsel underground laboratory in Switzerland in the Full-Scale Engineered Barrier Experiment Dismantling Project (FEBEX-DP). The data collected in the test after almost two decades of heating and two dismantling events provide a unique opportunity of validating coupled THMC models and enhancing our understanding of coupled THMC process in EBS bentonite. Section 5 presents a planned large in-situ test, “HotBENT,” at Grimsel Test Site, Switzerland. In this test, bentonite backfilled EBS in granite will be heated up to 200 °C, where the most relevant features of future emplacement conditions can be adequately reproduced. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has very actively participated in the project since the very beginning and have conducted scoping calculations in FY17 to facilitate the final design of the experiment. Section 6 presents present LBNL’s activities for modeling gas migration in clay related to Task A of the international DECOVALEX-2019 project. This is an international collaborative activity in which DOE and LBNL gain access to unique laboratory and field data of gas migration that are studied with numerical modeling to better understand the processes, to improve numerical models that could eventually be applied in the performance assessment for nuclear waste disposal in clay host rocks and bentonite backfill. Section 7 summarizes the main research accomplishments for FY17 and proposes future work activities.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Modeling Data Flows with Network Calculus in Cyber-Physical Systems: Enabling Feature Analysis for Anomaly Detection Applications

The electric grid is becoming increasingly cyber-physical with the addition of smart technologies, new communication interfaces, and automated grid-support functions. Because of this, it is no longer sufficient to only study the physical system dynamics, but the cyber system must also be monitored as well to examine cyber-physical interactions and effects on the overall system. To address this gap for both operational and security needs, cyber-physical situational awareness is needed to monitor the system to detect any faults or malicious activity. Techniques and models to understand the physical system (the power system operation) exist, but methods to study the cyber system are needed, which can assist in understanding how the network traffic and changes to network conditions affect applications such as data analysis, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and anomaly detection. In this paper, we examine and develop models of data flows in communication networks of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and explore how network calculus can be utilized to develop those models for CPSs, with a focus on anomaly and intrusion detection. This provides a foundation for methods to examine how changes to behavior in the CPS can be modeled and for investigating cyber effects in CPSs in anomaly detection applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Multi-Kernel Adaptive Support Vector Machine for Scalable Predictive Maintenance

Application of data-driven solutions across an industry is challenging, since the data are often stored locally, and increasing privacy and security concerns restrict access to the data. In addition, it is highly unlikely that all potential data patterns are captured in a single data source. Because it is highly unlikely that all potential data patterns are captured in a single data source, machine learning (ML) models developed from a single source cannot be robust enough. An alternative is to train the ML model at each source and develop a distributed knowledge discovery and aggregation approach to build global knowledge. In this paper, we develop and demonstrate a distributed ML model, federated transfer learning (FTL), using a multi-kernel-based adaptive support vector machine (MK-A-SVM). For federated learning (FL), the multi-kernel (MK) approach enables feature-specific model aggregation under data heterogeneity; whereas for transfer learning (TL) the adaptive model enables utilization of an aggregated model from a different task. The proposed approach is validated using nuclear power plant (NPP) vertical motor-driven pump data to predict the health condition of vertical motor-driven pumps as an anomaly detection. The efficiency of the proposed approach is also quantified and compared with neural network.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Idea Paper: The Lifecycle of Software for Scientific Simulations

The software lifecycle is a well researched topic that has produced many models to meet the needs of different types of software projects. However, one class of projects, software development for scientific computing, has received relatively little attention from lifecycle researchers. In particular, software for end-to-end computations for obtaining scientific results has received few lifecycle proposals and no formalization of a development model. An examination of development approaches employed by the teams implementing large multicomponent codes reveals a great deal of similarity in their strategies. This idea paper formalizes these related approaches into a lifecycle model for end-to-end scientific application software, featuring loose coupling between submodels for development of infrastructure and scientific capability. We also invite input from stakeholders to converge on a model that captures the complexity of this development processes and provides needed lifecycle guidance to the scientific software community.

Dubey, Anshu↗

International Space Station Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model Update for Short Thruster Pulse Widths

The International Space Station (ISS) Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model has been a vital tool for characterizing the thruster plume-induced contamination environment at the ISS but was not intended to be used for very short thruster pulse widths. This paper presents an updated model that ensures full start-up and shut-down phases are modeled for each thruster firing, when the majority of liquid phase contaminant mass is released. The updated ISS Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model prevents potential under-prediction of thruster plume-induced contamination due to visiting vehicle proximity operations and provides a way to take advantage of thruster start-up and shut-down data performance data gathered during thruster test programs, if available. The International Space Station (ISS) Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model developed by Boeing Space Environments is a semi-empirical model anchored in flight experiment data and has been a vital tool for characterizing the thruster plume-induced contamination environment at the ISS.[1] The current model utilizes flight experiment data from the Plume Impingement Contamination (PIC) and Shuttle Plume Impingement Flight Experiment (SPIFEX) studies, which include Orbiter 3870 N Primary Reaction Control System (PRCS) and Russian 130 N thrusters operating in pulse mode with 80-100 ms.[2] As the next generation of crew and cargo visiting vehicles are developed and arrive at ISS, minimum pulse widths of vehicle thrusters used for ISS proximity operations have decreased significantly below 80 ms. An update to the ISS Bipropellant Contamination Model is needed to prevent potential under-prediction of thruster plume-induced contamination for these very short pulse widths. Contamination due to thruster plumes occurs in the liquid phase (i.e., unburned or partially burned propellant in the plume). Liquid phase releases primarily occur during thruster start-up and shut-down phases, with the steady state phase contributing a small amount to the total contaminant mass released. The current ISS Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model includes functional dependencies on thruster parameters (thrust, mass flow rate, specific impulse (Isp)), distance to receiver surface, and angle off plume centerline. For modeling purposes, contaminant mass released scales linearly with pulse width. This is a conservative approach for pulse widths greater than 80 ms but could under-predict contamination for very short pulse widths (i.e., with little or no steady state phase). This paper presents a model update to add a functional dependency on commanded pulse width to ensure the portion of the pulse spent in start-up and shut-down phases is appropriately modeled, when the majority of liquid phase contaminant mass is released. The updated model prevents potential under-prediction of thruster plume-induced contamination due to visiting vehicle proximity operations while providing a way to take advantage of thruster start-up and shut-down data gathered during test programs, if available. Developing the plume model for a specific thruster using the ISS Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model must be done in consideration of all available thruster performance data. Example thruster data will be used to illustrate this point and options for implementing the model update with existing ISS Bipropellant Plume Contamination Model code will be discussed.

plume contamination↗

Techno-Economic Evaluation of Cellulosic Ethanol Production Based on Pilot Biorefinery Data: a Case Study of Sweet Sorghum Bagasse Processed via L+SScF

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable fuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass can contribute to the mitigation of global warming and the economic development of rural communities. This will require lignocellulosic biofuels to become price competitive with fossil fuels. Techno-economic analyses can provide insights into which parts of the biofuel production process need to be optimized to reduce cost or energy use. Here, we used data obtained from a pilot biorefinery to model a commercial-scale biorefinery that processes lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol, with a focus on the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). The process utilizes a phosphoric acid-catalyzed pre-treatment of sweet sorghum bagasse followed by liquefaction and simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (L+SScF) of hexose and pentose sugars by an engineered Escherichia coli strain. After validating a techno-economic model developed with the SuperPro Designer software for the conversion of sugarcane bagasse to ethanol by comparing it to a published Aspen Plus model, six different scenarios were modeled for sweet sorghum bagasse Under the most optimistic scenario, the ethanol can be produced at a cost close to the energy-equivalent price of gasoline. Aside from an increase in the price of gasoline, the gap between ethanol and gasoline prices could also be bridged by either a decrease in the cost of cellulolytic enzymes or development of value-added products from lignin.

Biofuel↗

Development and Validation of a Simulation Testbed for the Intelligent Building Agents Laboratory (IBAL) Using TRNSYS

This paper documents the development and validation of a dynamic primary cooling and thermal storage system simulation testbed. The system simulation testbed, sIBAL, is based on the Intelligent Building Agents Laboratory (IBAL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is a research infrastructure and testbed for the development, evaluation, and demonstration of intelligent control algorithms. The sIBAL testbed developed in this project will serve as a virtual twin of the real facility for future control algorithm development. The details of the methodologies used to develop and validate the simulation testbed, which replicates the dynamic behaviors of the primary cooling and ice storage system in the IBAL facility, are presented. The simulation testbed was developed in TRNSYS using built-in component models and MATLAB functions to replicate the two water-cooled chillers, a thermal storage tank, pumps, valves and other components for four different operation modes. Experiments on IBAL components were designed and executed to generate experimental data for model development and verification of the simulation platform. The validation of the simulation results was carried out in two phases: 1) independent component simulations for the chillers and thermal storage tank, and 2) a combined testbed simulation of the entire hydronic system. Comparison of simulation results to the experimental data obtained from the IBAL facility showed errors within 1 °C for the temperatures outputs of both the chiller and the thermal storage model. The error is within an acceptable range for further intelligent control algorithms development. The findings from the study are summarized and presented along with areas where additional research is needed. In addition, data filtering procedures and model refinement measures utilized to improve the accuracy and accelerate the computation time of the simulation are presented.

cooling systems↗

Clover development during spaceflight: A model system

The development of legume root nodules was studied as a model system for the examination of gravitational effects on plant root development. In order to examine whether rhizobial association with clover roots can be achieved in microgravity, experiments were performed aboard the KC-135 parabolic aircraft and aboard the sounding rocket mission Consort 3. Binding of rhizobia to roots and the initial stages of root nodule development successfully occurred in microgravity. Seedling germination experiments were performed in the sliding block device, the Materials Dispersion Apparatus, aboard STS-37. When significant hydration of the seeds was achieved, normal rates of germination and seedling development were observed.

Guikema, James A.↗

Deriving Severe Hail Likelihood from Satellite Observations and Model Reanalysis Parameters using a Deep Neural Network

Geostationary satellite imagers, such as those of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series, have been observing severe convection at 15–60-minute intervals for over 40 years. When properly assessed, such a data record can be valuable in efforts of estimating severe storm risk throughout the diurnal cycle based on automated detection of patterns consistently found atop severe storms. Furthermore, environmental conditions favorable for severe weather are well-known and are thought to be represented well by modern reanalysis products. Promoting resilience against such hazards on local and global scales is a chief goal the NASA Disasters program, which seeks to encourage use of satellite observations to mitigate risk. For instance, hail is the costliest severe weather hazard across the globe in terms of insured loss, but reporting inconsistencies for hail events globally make it difficult to develop models that can quantify the risk. Satellite observation and model reanalysis taken together have the potential to, with reasonable skill and specificity, characterize environmental conditions that are favorable for hazardous weather, and thereby enable creation of hazard climatologie. Such climatologies are particularly useful over regions without extensive radar networks or storm reporting. By mapping the multivariate combination of observed cloud features and reanalysis environmental parameters/indices to United States Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) radar-estimated Maximum Expected Size of Hail (MESH) by way of a deep neural network (DNN), estimates of likelihood for potentially severe hail can be produced. Such estimates are of greater complexity and efficiency than could be performed with previous multivariate or logistic regression analyses for observed points within convective systems. Statistical distributions of convective parameters from satellite and reanalysis are shown to highlight non-severe/severe class separation for well-known hailstorm predictors, e.g., overshooting cloud top characteristics, deep-layer wind shear, mid-level stability, helicity, and convective inhibition. These complex, multivariate predictor relationships are exploited within a DNN, which can efficiently produce a quantitative hail risk metric with better than 70% detection rate and under 30% false alarms. These hail classifications can then be aggregated across the satellite record to yield a hazard climatology for hail frequency and severity – knowledge of which is of particular interest to those who manage risk (e.g., insurers) and are seeking opportunities to identify hail-prone regions, particularly in developing nations. This NASA study uses satellite observations and model parameters in a DNN to perform climatological hailstorm analysis in support of catastrophe model development, with the hope of promoting risk resilience particularly in regions without adequate weather radar coverage.

Passive Remote Sensing↗

A statistical mechanics framework for polymer chain scission, based on the concepts of distorted bond potential and asymptotic matching

To design increasingly tough, resilient, and fatigue-resistant elastomers and hydrogels, the relationship between controllable network parameters at the molecular level (bond type, non-uniform chain length, entanglement density, etc.) to macroscopic quantities that govern damage and failure must be established. Many of the most successful constitutive models for elastomers have been rooted in statistical mechanical treatments of polymer chains. Typically, such constitutive models have used variants of the freely jointed chain model with rigid links. However, since the free energy state of a polymer chain is dominated by enthalpic bond distortion effects as the chain approaches its rupture point, bond extensibility ought to be accounted for if the model is intended to capture chain rupture. To that end, a new bond potential is supplemented to the freely jointed chain model (as derived in the u FJC framework of Buche and Silberstein (2021) and Buche et al. (2022)), which we have extended to yield a tractable, closed-form model of single chain behavior that should be amenable to continuum-level constitutive model development. Inspired by the asymptotically matched u FJC model response in both the low/intermediate chain force and high chain force regimes, a simple, quasi-polynomial bond potential energy function is derived. This bond potential exhibits harmonic behavior near the equilibrium state and anharmonic behavior for large bond stretches tending to a characteristic energy plateau (akin to the Lennard-Jones and Morse bond potentials). Using this bond potential, approximate yet highly-accurate analytical functions for bond stretch and chain force dependent upon chain stretch are established. Then, using this polymer chain model, a stochastic thermal fluctuation-driven chain rupture framework is developed. This framework is based upon a force-modified tilted bond potential that accounts for distortional bond potential energy, allowing for the derivation and subsequent calculation of the dissipated chain scission energy. Here, the cases of rate-dependent and rate-independent scission are accounted for throughout the rupture framework. The impact of Kuhn segment number on chain rupture behavior is also investigated. The model is fit to single chain mechanical response data collected from atomic force microscopy tensile tests for validation and to glean deeper insight into the molecular physics taking place. Due to their analytical nature, this polymer chain model and the associated rupture framework can in the future be implemented in finite element models accounting for fracture and fatigue in polydisperse elastomer networks.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Facilitating better and faster simulations of aerosol-cloud interactions in Earth system models

Focal Area(s): 1. Predictive modeling through the use of AI techniques and AI-derived model components; the use of AI and other tools to design a prediction system comprising a hierarchy of models. 2. Insight gleaned from complex data (both observed and simulated) using AI, big data analytics, and other advanced methods, including explainable AI and physics- or knowledge-guided AI. Science Challenge: One major challenge that Earth system models (ESMs) face in providing credible prediction of the Earth system and its water cycle characteristics (e.g., mean state, variability, and extreme events) is to accurately simulate aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI). The physical, chemical, and dynamical processes affecting ACI are extremely complex and they range from nanoscale to planetary scale. In each model development cycle, scientists spend significant efforts investigating model deficiencies and uncertainties associated with aerosols (e.g., emissions, chemical processes, aerosol microphysics, and transport) and clouds (e.g., macrophysics, microphysics, turbulence, and large-scale circulation) in order to develop improved treatments. However, despite decades of active research, ACI is still a major source of uncertainty in climate projections, even though great progress has been made. Specific scientific challenges include: (i) Parameterizations are developed based on limited data; (ii) The complexity of a parameterization required for accurate predictions is not understood; (iii) Incomplete and unknown physics leads to errors in the fully coupled Earth system; and (iv) Complex physics is computationally too expensive to employ in ESMs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Computational Ion Optics Design Evaluations

Ion optics computational models are invaluable tools in the design of ion optics systems. In this study a new computational model developed by an outside vendor for use at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is presented. This computational model is a gun code that has been modified to model the plasma sheaths both upstream and downstream of the ion optics. The model handles multiple species (e.g. singly and doubly-charged ions) and includes a charge-exchange model to support erosion estimations. The model uses commercially developed solid design and meshing software to allow high flexibility in ion optics geometric configurations. The results from this computational model are applied to the NEXT project to investigate the effects of crossover impingement erosion seen during the 2000-hour wear test.

Malone, Shane P.↗

Report of the panel on geopotential fields: Gravity field, section 8

The objective of the Geopotential Panel was to develop a program of data acquisition and model development for the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields that meet the basic science requirements of the solid Earth and ocean studies. Presented here are the requirements for gravity information and models through the end of the century, the present status of our knowledge, data acquisition techniques, and an outline of a program to meet the requirements.

Anderson, Allen Joel↗

Enzyme property prediction using artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven enzyme property prediction enables rapid discovery and engineering of enzymes for a wide range of biotechnological and therapeutic applications. Here, we first introduce the key components in AI model development, including enzyme datasets, protein representation methods, and model architectures. We then highlight a variety of AI tools developed for the prediction of enzyme properties and functional annotations, including enzyme structure, kinetic parameters, substrate specificity, thermostability, solubility, Enzyme Commission number, and Gene Ontology term. Moreover, we describe representative downstream applications enabled by these AI tools. Finally, we discuss some challenges and opportunities as well as future prospects.

Yuan, Le [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champai↗

MFiX Development Updates

This presentation discusses recent developments of the Multiphase Flow with Interphase eXchanges (MFiX) software. A brief review of all modeling approaches along with their cost versus accuracy is provided to guide users when selecting a model for a given application. The main new features of the past five official releases of MFiX are described. Improvement in chemistry management allow for easier simulation setup, and faster simulation speed. Progress in the implementation of a thin-wall boundary condition is presented. The major new model development over the past year is the release of the Glued Sphere Particle model (GSP), where component spheres are combined together to represent non-spherical particles. The integration of Machine Learning (ML) workflow in the CFD process is discussed with two applications: a surrogate model for stiff chemistry and the development of a PIC stress model using ML.

Dietiker, Jeff↗

3D magnetospheric parallel hybrid multi-grid method applied to planet–plasma interactions

We present a new method to exploit multiple refinement levels within a 3D parallel hybrid model, developed to study planet–plasma interactions. This model is based on the hybrid formalism: ions are kinetically treated whereas electrons are considered as a inertia-less fluid. Generally, ions are represented by numerical particles whose size equals the volume of the cells. Particles that leave a coarse grid subsequently entering a refined region are split into particles whose volume corresponds to the volume of the refined cells. The number of refined particles created from a coarse particle depends on the grid refinement rate. In order to conserve velocity distribution functions and to avoid calculations of average velocities, particles are not coalesced. Moreover, to ensure the constancy of particles' shape function sizes, the hybrid method is adapted to allow refined particles to move within a coarse region. Another innovation of this approach is the method developed to compute grid moments at interfaces between two refinement levels. Indeed, the hybrid method is adapted to accurately account for the special grid structure at the interfaces, avoiding any overlapping grid considerations. Some fundamental test runs were performed to validate our approach (e.g. quiet plasma flow, Alfven wave propagation). Lastly, we also show a planetary application of the model, simulating the interaction between Jupiter's moon Ganymede and the Jovian plasma.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗