Hybrid two-dimensional electron transport in self-consistent electromagnetic fields

The paper outlines features of the implicit hybrid simulation code ANTHEM, which uniquely provides histories for the transport and deposition of suprathermal and thermal electrons in laser-produced plasmas. The code models two-dimensional electron transport through steep density gradients and across contiguous collisional and collisionless target regions with the plasma dynamics dominated by self-consistent EPSILON and BETA fields. ANTHEM employs separate Eulerian fluid ion and thermal electron treatments and models suprathermal electrons as either a third fluid or as a set of collisional particle-in-cell (PIC) particles. The authors outline new techniques required to obtain implicit electromagnetic fields in two spatial dimensions permitting time steps well in excess of the local plasma period. A new implicit scattering model is discussed. The utility of our approach is demonstrated with sample applications to collisional surface transport on foil targets