Add general plasma functions 1 by chris-ashe · Pull Request #4004 · ukaea/PROCESS

chris-ashe · 2025-12-08T14:24:47Z

This pull request introduces a new "Detailed Plasma Physics" module, adds supporting constants and data structures, and integrates new profile plotting capabilities for advanced plasma diagnostics. The changes enhance the documentation, codebase, and output visualizations, providing more granular insight into plasma behavior and key physical parameters.

Plasma Physics Module & Documentation

Added the DetailedPhysics class and its documentation (detailed_physics.md), including methods for calculating Debye length, relativistic particle speed, Coulomb logarithm, classical distance of closest approach, DeBroglie wavelength, plasma frequency, and Larmor frequency. [1] [2] [3]

Data Structures & Constants

Introduced new plasma profile variables (Debye length, electron velocity, Coulomb logarithm, plasma and Larmor frequency profiles) in physics_variables.py, with initialization and global registration. [1] [2] [3]
Added PLANCK_CONSTANT and updated SPEED_LIGHT to float in constants.py for more accurate physical calculations.

Output & Visualization Enhancements

Implemented new plotting functions for Debye length, electron velocity, plasma frequency, Larmor frequency, and Coulomb logarithm profiles in plot_proc.py, integrating them into the main plotting workflow and output PDF.

Integration & Workflow

Integrated the new detailed physics calculations and output into the main output pipeline (output.py), ensuring these diagnostics are run and exported at the end of each simulation.

Documentation Navigation

Linked the new "Detailed Plasma Physics" documentation page in the navigation sidebar for easier access.## Description

🎨 Output

A new plot_proc page for the electron values of the new functions have been added

Checklist

I confirm that I have completed the following checks:

My changes follow the PROCESS style guide
I have justified any large differences in the regression tests caused by this pull request in the comments.
I have added new tests where appropriate for the changes I have made.
If I have had to change any existing unit or integration tests, I have justified this change in the pull request comments.
If I have made documentation changes, I have checked they render correctly.
I have added documentation for my change, if appropriate.

codecov-commenter · 2025-12-08T14:31:31Z

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 42.75862% with 83 lines in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 46.30%. Comparing base (726df45) to head (c042380).

Files with missing lines	Patch %	Lines
process/io/plot_proc.py	5.88%	64 Missing ⚠️
process/physics.py	69.23%	16 Missing ⚠️
process/output.py	0.00%	2 Missing ⚠️
process/main.py	50.00%	1 Missing ⚠️

Additional details and impacted files

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##             main    #4004      +/-   ##
==========================================
+ Coverage   46.29%   46.30%   +0.01%     
==========================================
  Files         123      123              
  Lines       28841    28961     +120     
==========================================
+ Hits        13351    13411      +60     
- Misses      15490    15550      +60

☔ View full report in Codecov by Sentry.
📢 Have feedback on the report? Share it here.

🚀 New features to boost your workflow:

❄️ Test Analytics: Detect flaky tests, report on failures, and find test suite problems.

timothy-nunn

Need the docs and formula reviewed still

j-a-foster

Just one question, otherwise happy with equations and docs.

timothy-nunn

Just one comment on testing, then its gtg

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T08:59:40Z

+        self.plasma_profile = plasma_profile
+        self.current_drive = current_drive
+
+    def run(self):


I think its probably worth adding a simple test with a simple profile (2-4 points) that checks all of the values are correctly set in this model

… DetailedPhysics class

…ctionality

… class

…s module

…ics class and plotting functionality

…field

…hysics class

…edPhysics class

…iledPhysics class

…sma calculations

timothy-nunn

Only comments about the types and I promise its ready. Please update the types for variables that can be a float or a whole profile (ndarray). Ensure you update the type hints and the types in the docstring

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T13:48:32Z

+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate_debye_length(
+        temp_plasma_species_kev: float,


The type could be float or profile right (np.ndarray)?

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T13:48:38Z

+        ) ** 0.5
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate_lorentz_factor(velocity: float) -> float:


velocity could be float or profile right (np.ndarray)?

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T13:48:55Z

+        return 1 / (1 - (velocity / constants.SPEED_LIGHT) ** 2) ** 0.5
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate_relativistic_particle_speed(e_kinetic: float, mass: float) -> float:


e_kinetic could be float or profile right (np.ndarray)?

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T13:51:43Z

+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate_plasma_frequency(
+        nd_particle: float, m_particle: float, z_particle: float


nd_particle could be a float or ndarray

timothy-nunn · 2026-01-07T13:52:03Z

+
+    @staticmethod
+    def calculate_larmor_frequency(
+        b_field: float, m_particle: float, z_particle: float


b_field could be a float or an ndarray

… type hints

chris-ashe self-assigned this Dec 8, 2025

chris-ashe requested a review from jonmaddock December 8, 2025 14:27

chris-ashe added Physics Relating to the physics models Input/Output Files Issues related to the input and output data files labels Dec 8, 2025

chris-ashe force-pushed the add_general_plasma_functions_1 branch from 3c22809 to c3ccd3b Compare December 8, 2025 14:49

chris-ashe marked this pull request as ready for review December 8, 2025 16:36

chris-ashe requested a review from timothy-nunn December 17, 2025 13:35

chris-ashe requested a review from j-a-foster January 5, 2026 10:18

timothy-nunn requested changes Jan 5, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread process/physics.py Outdated

Comment thread process/physics.py Outdated

j-a-foster reviewed Jan 5, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread documentation/physics-models/detailed_physics.md

chris-ashe force-pushed the add_general_plasma_functions_1 branch 2 times, most recently from d9f9e73 to 559509c Compare January 5, 2026 14:44

timothy-nunn requested changes Jan 7, 2026

View reviewed changes

chris-ashe added 16 commits January 7, 2026 11:05

Add DetailedPhysics class for enhanced plasma processing models

f9ca4cf

❇️ Add Debye length calculations to DetailedPhysics class

55891f6

❇️ Add electron Debye length profile variable to physics module

7708d9f

Add volume averaged electron Debye length variable to physics module

237b0df

Add detailed Debye length calculations and output to physics module

7b6af0b

❇️ Add Lorentz factor and relativistic particle speed calculations to…

58943aa

… DetailedPhysics class

❇️ Add electron thermal velocity profile variable to physics module

c97f85c

❇️ Add electron thermal velocity profile calculation and plotting fun…

b8f87a7

…ctionality

Add Planck's constant and new physics calculations to DetailedPhysics…

7792d1b

… class

❇️ Add electron-electron Coulomb logarithm profile variable to physic…

8666342

…s module

❇️ Add plasma frequency calculation to DetailedPhysics class

10e1a7c

❇️ Add electron plasma frequency profile variable to physics module

04a50b1

❇️ Add electron thermal frequency profile calculation to DetailedPhys…

a829a27

…ics class and plotting functionality

❇️ Add Larmor frequency calculation method to DetailedPhysics class

a5a8dbc

Add electron Larmor frequency profile variable for toroidal magnetic …

682eb74

…field

❇️ Add Larmor frequency calculation for electron profile in DetailedP…

a4ad341

…hysics class

chris-ashe added 5 commits January 7, 2026 11:09

❇️ Add Larmor frequency profile for toroidal magnetic field in Detail…

5b1a58c

…edPhysics class

❇️ Add calculation and plotting for plasma Coulomb logarithms in Deta…

1972419

…iledPhysics class

Post rebase changes

c43926e

❇️ Add documentation for Detailed Plasma Physics and link in mkdocs

f49171d

Post rebase changes again

08d7b6e

chris-ashe force-pushed the add_general_plasma_functions_1 branch from 7343c9f to 30dfff3 Compare January 7, 2026 11:09

Refactor DetailedPhysics methods to static and add unit tests for pla…

98bb56d

…sma calculations

chris-ashe force-pushed the add_general_plasma_functions_1 branch from 30dfff3 to 98bb56d Compare January 7, 2026 11:22

chris-ashe removed the request for review from jonmaddock January 7, 2026 11:23

timothy-nunn reviewed Jan 7, 2026

View reviewed changes

Enhance plasma calculation methods to support array inputs and update…

c042380

… type hints

timothy-nunn approved these changes Jan 7, 2026

View reviewed changes

timothy-nunn merged commit 2f79156 into main Jan 7, 2026
14 of 18 checks passed

timothy-nunn deleted the add_general_plasma_functions_1 branch January 7, 2026 14:10

josieapeters added the New Variables label Feb 2, 2026

Conversation

chris-ashe commented Dec 8, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Plasma Physics Module & Documentation

Data Structures & Constants

Output & Visualization Enhancements

Integration & Workflow

Documentation Navigation

🎨 Output

Checklist

Uh oh!

codecov-commenter commented Dec 8, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Codecov Report

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

j-a-foster left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

timothy-nunn Jan 7, 2026

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

5 participants

chris-ashe commented Dec 8, 2025 •

edited

Loading

codecov-commenter commented Dec 8, 2025 •

edited

Loading