Development of an implicit electromagnetic capability for a hybrid gyrokinetic ion-fluid electron model

Abstract We report on the development and implementation of a hybrid kinetic ion–fluid electron model for electromagnetic COGENT simulations of edge plasmas. COGENT is a finite‐volume gyrokinetic code that employs a locally field‐aligned coordinate system combined with a mapped multi‐block grid technology to handle strongly anisotropic edge plasma turbulence. The simulation model involves the long‐wavelength limit of the ion gyrokinetic equation coupled to the vorticity and Ohm's law equations for the electromagnetic field perturbations. In order to handle the fast Alfvén wave time scales, an implicit‐explicit time integration approach with a physics‐based preconditioner is used. The model is successfully applied to the simulations of ion‐scale resistive‐drift ballooning turbulence in a toroidal annulus geometry. Substantial speed‐up over a fully explicit time integration approach is observed.