Numerical particle heating and diffusion correlated to interpolation-induced divergence in a magnetized plasma

Summary form only given. Numerical effects in particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations due to the interpolation of discrete magnetic fields are examined for the case of small L₀(∇·B)/B (where L₀ is the length of the system) and will be reported for large L₀(∇·B)/B. Non-physical heating and diffusion across field lines is a concern in the simulation of many devices using magnetically-confined plasmas, e.g. magnetic-confinement fusion machines and sputtering magnetrons.