Article
A Method for Enforcing the Solenoidal Condition
Journal of Computational Physics
(1983)
Abstract
A method is proposed for enforcing the solenoidal condition V · B = 0 on the magnetic field B at all times during a transient numerical calculation. The method is based on the observation that Faraday's law for the time evolution of B can be cast into an alternative equivalent form which closely resembles the equations of incompressible hydrodynamics. In this alternative formulation, the solenoidal condition appears as a constraint that applies for all time, rather than just as an initial condition. The solenoidal condition may therefore be preserved during a transient calculation simply by basing the numerical scheme on the alternative formulation instead of the usual one. A possible numerical scheme is suggested which is analogous to the MAC method for incompressible fluid flow.
Disciplines
Publication Date
December, 1983
DOI
10.1016/0021-9991(83)90009-8
Publisher Statement
At the time of publication John Ramshaw was affiliated with the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Citation Information
J. D. Ramshaw, "A Method for Enforcing the Solenoidal Condition on Magnetic Field in Numerical Calculations," J. Comput. Phys. 52, 592 (1983).