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Highly rarefied plasma flows in technical devices are physically modeled by the Maxwell-Lorentz equations. They combine the solution of the Maxwell equations, where the electric field E and magnetic induction B are determined, with the Lorentz system, accounting for the movement of charged particles due to the electromagnetic forces. To solve these equations for complex-shaped domains, a fully electromagnetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code has been developed using high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods for the Maxwell equations on a computational mesh, coupled with a Lorentz solver on the basis of a second order leapfrog scheme, acting on the particles at their current positions. Since the particles move freely in space, the mesh-based and the mesh-free values have to be coupled. This coupling includes the deposition of the charge and current densities from the current particle positions onto the mesh as well as the interpolation of the electromagnetic fields from the mesh to the actual particle positions. Both steps have to be computed with appropriate accuracy. Different approaches to particle-grid coupling within the PIC solver have been investigated. In this paper, these concepts are described and corresponding simulation results with respect to accuracy and computational demand are presented.

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Purpose -In the process of the implementation of the eBologna program and the recent change of the university system, curricula at German universities have been redesigned; courses have been condensed and learning content has been re-structured into modules, each of which requires an evaluation. Simultaneously, skills required for working in research and development changed; knowledge of mathematical or numerical algorithms and programming skills play an increasingly important role in the daily job routine of the working engineer. The purpose of this paper is to describe, implement and test a new course on numerical simulations along with a new software infrastructure, addressing this predicament. Design/methodology/approach -To support learning by practical exercises, engineering faculties, the faculties of mathematics and physics, and the Computing Center of the University of Stuttgart setup a project for implementing an online programming lab for teaching the required skills. The focus of this project is to provide easy access to the necessary software tools, to avoid the overhead of installation and maintenance, and to seamlessly integrate these tools into the e-learning infrastructure of the university. Findings -Student evaluations showed a high acceptance of the project and the developed software is now well-accepted and taken as a self-evident part of the homework routine. Originality/value -An online programming lab that integrates seamlessly into the e-learning infrastructure of the university and is platform and system independent by following the established SCORM standard.