The field marshal electromagnetic simulation environment

Summary form only given. The field Marshal (FM) simulation environment is aimed at small research groups involved in electromagnetics design and analysis. Project goals include consistent user interface, single-geometry/multiple-tools and inclusion of legacy codes. A key objective is usability, maintainability, and extensibility by researchers who are not expert programmers. Four primary elements are necessary to cost-effectively achieve this: finite difference techniques, multigrid techniques, a modern scripting environment (e.g. Python), and internet-based distributed development. The design process is viewed from the standpoint of small-group R&D projects implying a need for multiple design tools (many of which could be legacy codes) within a common usage format. For this approach to be effective, the multiple design tools must be driven by a single geometry. In addition, a common user interface for the various tools is highly desirable. These considerations have to be coupled with the need, inherent in R&D, for flexibility and extensibility of tools without requiring the user to become an expert programmer. Field Marshal addresses these issues in the following way. The simulation process is broken roughly into domains that group typical user activities in the simulation process and provide logical transition points for connection to new and/or legacy tools. Within each of these domains, there are "components" that implement field Marshal methods. This abstraction permits FM to provide a reasonably consistent interface to the user across a wide range of simulation tools. Field Marshal domains include the following: parameter and geometry entry, parameter-geometry connection, parameter-geometry translation, simulation, data management, and graphics and visualization. This paper will discuss the present state and future directions of the field Marshal environment and components. Environment architectural issues will be examined as well as aspects of advanced finite difference algorithms and multigrid techniques. Information on the field Marshal project can be found at www.FieldMarshal.org