This repository contains a collection of Particle-in-Cell (PIC) plasma simulations, hardcoded from first principles in Python, developed to study the fundamental wave and kinetic phenomena that govern plasma behaviour in RF Ion Thrusters. The simulations follow the standard electrostatic (ES1) and electromagnetic (EM1) PIC frameworks, and progress from basic single-particle dynamics to more involved collective plasma phenomena such as plasma oscillations, wave propagation, and Landau damping.
The repository is organized around individual plasma phenomena, with each simulation built up from a shared foundation of grid setup, particle initialization, and the core PIC computational cycle. Notebooks are accompanied by their corresponding output visualizations to aid in interpreting particle and field behaviour over time.
- Python : core language used for all hardcoded PIC simulations
- Jupyter Notebooks : primary environment for development and visualization
- OpenFOAM : explored as a framework for more advanced, mesh-based plasma simulation
- NumPy / Matplotlib : used for numerical computation and visualization
These simulations were developed as part of an internship on RF Ion Thrusters at the Applied Plasma and Space Propulsion Laboratory, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras, to build a computational understanding of the plasma physics underlying RF-coupled discharge sustenance.