Particle-in-Cell Simulations of Plasma Density Variations in a Proton-Driven Wakefield Accelerator

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators (PWFA) use relativistic particle bunches to drive high-amplitude (GV/m) wakefields to accelerate other particle bunches. I use particle-in-cell simulations to study the physics behind a PWFA driven by a long proton that relies on self-modulation (SM). I study the effect of density variations in the plasma on the SM and on the bunch injection process. When possible, simulations are compared with experimental results and are in good agreement.