Simulation and model reduction methods for an RF plasma glow discharge

In this paper, we report on numerical solutions and model reduction results for a plasma glow discharge model with a radio frequency ionization source . A pseudospectral implementation of a global spectral method was found to give accurate simulation results that correctly reflected the expected phys ical behavior of an argon plasma under the simulated operating conditions. Numerical residual analysis was used to confirm solution convergence. Using snapshots taken from the detailed simulations, a reduced basis was generat ed in terms of two groups of empirically determined eigenfunctions, disting uished by their type of boundary conditions (Dirichlet vs Neumann). With th is model reduction approach, it was found that the state variables can be a ccurately predicted by projecting the original modeling equations onto the reduced basis with considerable computational savings over the original sim ulations. Limitations of the model reduction method in predicting secondary (derived) quantities are discussed. (C) 2001 Academic Press.