ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the development of a 3D Cartesian code for simulating the flow of plasma past a charged sphere. This simulation could be a crude approximation for an object orbiting a planet. Alternatively, it could model a spherical Langmuir probe embedded in a plasma beam. The chapter implements a continuous particle source and utilizes a simple fluid model for the electrons, giving a hybrid-PIC simulation. It explains steady state, data averaging, matrix solver algorithms, and the quasi-neutral approximation. The chapter also demonstrates how to compute potential in high density cases in which plasma can be assumed to be charge neutral.
