Scott Parker Portrait
Professor
Physics
sparker@colorado.edu
(303) 492-3292

Office: DUAN F921

Research Interests:

My research is in the area of kinetic theory and simulation of plasmas. Most of my current work is in the area of direct numerical simulation of tokamak plasma turbulence on large massively parallel computers. These simulations are done in a five dimensional phase space using newly developed particle-based methods. These calculations involve many millions of particles with self-consistently calculated electric fields. For the first time, these simulations are showing spectral features and transport levels at least qualitatively similar to turbulent transport observed in large present day experiments. Our goal is a fundamental understanding of plasma turbulence and transport in magnetized plasmas. Scientific visualization is utilized to analyze the features of the three dimensional turbulent fluctuations.

Selected Publications:

  1. “Gyrokinetic δf simulation of the Toroidal Alfven Eigenmode,” J. Lang, Y. Chen, S. Parker, G. Fu, Phys. Plasmas, 16 102101 (2009).
  2. “Particle-in-cell simiulation with Vlasov ions and drift kinetic electrons,” Y. Chen, S. Parker, Phys. Plasmas, 16 052305 2009.
  3. “Compressed ion temperature gradient turbulence in diverted tokamak edge,” C. Chang, S. Ku, P. Diamond, Z. Lin, S. Parker, T. Hahm, Phys. Plasmas, 16 056108 2009.
  4. “Role of zonal flows in trapped electron mode turbulence through nonlinear gyrokinetic particle and continuum simulation,” D. Ernst, J. Lang, W. Nevins, M. Hoffman, Y. Chen, W. Dorland, S. Parker, Phys. Plasmas, 16 055906 2009.
  5. “Nonlinear saturation of collisionless trapped electron mode turbulence: zonal flows and zonal density,” J. Lang, S. Parker, and Y. Chen, Phys. Plasmas, 15 055907 2008.
  6. “Coarse-graining the electron distribution in turbulence simulations of tokamak plasmas,” Y. Chen, S. Parker, G. Rewoldt, S. Ku, G. Park, C. Cheng, Phys. Plasmas, 15 055905 (2008).
  7. “Low-noise particle algorithms for extended magnetohydrodynamics closure,” D. Barnes, S. Parker and J. Cheng, Phys. Plasmas, 15 055702 (2008).
  8. “Electromagnetic gyrokinetic δf particle-in-cell turbulence simulation with realistic equilib- rium profiles and geometry,” Y. Chen and S. Parker, J. Comput. Phys. 220 839 (2007).
  9. “Gyrokinetic δf simulation of trapped electron mode driven turbulence,” J. Lang, Y. Chen and S. Parker, Phys. Plasmas 14 082315 (2007).
  10. “Coarse-graining phase space in δf particle-in-cell simulations,” Y. Chen and S. Parker, Phys. Plasmas 14 082301 (2007).