Numerical analysis and simulation of high power microwave pulses propagation in the atmosphere using FDTD method

An appropriate numerical scheme based on the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is firstly presented for high power microwave (HPM) pulses propagating through the atmosphere, which solves numerically Maxwell's equations and Boltzmann's equation self-consistently. The derived difference scheme can be solved by time stepping. Especially, a novel method is presented that the variables coupled each other in the difference equations are solved by the binary linear equations before the time stepping. The propagation problems of HPM pulses in air breakdown environment are investigated and analyzed, and the feasibility and validity of the new numerical scheme is demonstrated.