Comparing plasma fluid models of different order for 1D streamer ionization fronts

Abstract

We evaluate the performance of three plasma fluid models: the first order reaction-drift-diffusion model based on the local field approximation; the second order reaction-drift-diffusion model based on the local energy approximation and a recently developed high order fluid model by Dujko et al (2013 J. Phys. D 46 475202) We first review the fluid models: we briefly discuss their derivation, their underlying assumptions and the type of transport data they require. Then we compare these models to a particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo (PIC/MC) code, using a 1D test problem. The tests are performed in neon and nitrogen at standard temperature and pressure, over a wide range of reduced electric fields. For the fluid models, transport data generated by a multi-term Boltzmann solver are used. We analyze the observed differences in the model predictions and address some of the practical aspects when using these plasma fluid models.