Exploring the application of the parareal algorithm to edge simulations using the SOLPS-code

One of the most challenging obstacles to economically viable magnetically confined fusion power is how to deal with hot plasma when it inevitably interacts with solid surfaces. The physics in this regime is particularly complex due to the presence of neutrals. Numerical simulations require large wallclock times and are often incapable of incorporating all the desired physics due to computational restrictions. The aim of this placement project is to explore the applicability of a novel technique – the Parareal Algorithm – to the SOLPS code in edge physics simulations. The SOLPS code is widely used to study plasma wall interactions and has also been used to design the ITER wall. The Parareal Algorithm parallelizes the time domain – which is counter-intuitive as it apparently violates causality. However, it is a predictor-corrector approach, and if applied correctly, can greatly reduce computation time. This makes complex simulations of the plasma edge in ITER like machines feasible.