Global particle-in-cell simulations of microturbulence with kinetic electrons

The effects of nonadiabatic electrons on ion temperature gradient drift instabilities have been studied in global toroidal geometry using the gyrokinetic particle simulation approach. Compared to the nonlinear global simulations based on only the adiabatic response of the electrons, we have found that the cross-field ion heat transport is two to three times larger in the presence of trapped electrons as compared to the purely adiabatic electron case, and that the zonal component of the electrostatic potential has a shorter wavelength. The numerical methods for calculating both the adiabatic and the nonadiabatic responses for the electrons are presented. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2221931