Development and benchmark simulations of a hybrid fluid particle-in-cell code SHYPIC

Abstract This paper introduces a hybrid fluid-kinetic code, SHYPIC (ShanghaiTech HYbrid PIC code), developed as a baseline framework for simulating plasma dynamics relevant to plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF). The code integrates a fluid description for electrons and a particle-in-cell (PIC) description for ions, providing computational efficiency and enabling larger-scale simulations. It incorporates ion kinetic effects, allowing accurate simulation of microscale non-equilibrium phenomena. In this initial version, the SHYPIC code is presented along with a series of benchmark tests, including quiet plasma evolution, dispersion relation verification, and the excitation and propagation of externally driven plasma waves. This version does not yet incorporate collisional effects or non-ideal terms (e.g., resistivity, viscosity, and hyper-viscosity) in the electron fluid, which will be included in future developments. The present work lays the foundation for further improvements required for fully simulating the complex dynamics of PJMIF.