The Vlasov-Poisson model and the validity of a numerical approach

Our aim in this work is to show that the final macroscopic state of a noncollisional plasma system, computed through numerical simulations, depends on artificial small scale effects induced by the used numerical scheme and/or grid discretization. By using the continuous, Hamiltonian Vlasov-Poisson model, we found significant differences in the nonlinear dynamics when varying the importance of dissipative and/or dispersive (numerical) effects. In particular, such artificial processes are crucial during phase space vortex generation and vortex merging dynamics leading to different irreversible asymptotic states. These results are obtained for numerical grid scale lengths much smaller than any noncollisional physical scale length. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.