Introduction to particle simulation models and their application to electrostatic plasma waves in space.

A review of plasma simulation models using finite-size particles is given with an emphasis on the electrostatic models. Physical properties of such simulation models as well as numerical techniques are studied in some detail. Modification to plasma kinetic theory, collisions and fluctuations, Vlasov-Landau equations are derived along with an introduction to a spatial grid, charge-force interpolation and finite-difference schemes. A study of electrotastic ion cyclotron waves driven by a field-aligned current is also studied by numerical simulations.