Two-dimensional, finite Larmor radius magnetohydrodynamics code

Summary form only given. A two-dimensional, finite Larmor radius magnetohydrodynamics (2D FLR MHD) code has been developed. The code solves the 2D FLR equations in the isothermal limit. These equations are presented in Braginskii (1965) and include an anisotropic ion stress tensor in the momentum equation. The FLR MHD equations are solved in conservative form. A nonlinear switch between an 8th order spatial scheme and a low-order scheme is used based upon the partial donor cell method (Hain, 1987). The novel feature of the code is the computation of the fluxes across cell interfaces. The code uses a variation of the beam scheme and computes fluxes based upon Maxwellian-like distribution functions that contain the magnetic forces. As a test of the code, theoretical and computational results for the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the FLR MHD regime (Roberts and Taylor, 1962) are presented. We also discuss the transition to the unmagnetized regime where the Hall term becomes important, and applications to plasma boundary layer dynamics.