Field Marshall Simulation Environment

High power microwave researchers need multiple, low cost, simulation codes. These codes need to have user interface consistency for common functions and to use the research community’s vocabulary and units in specific technical areas. Access to source code is of enormous benefit to research groups but not possible within the present technical software market. Along with these “usability” issues, the codes must provide state-of-the-art simulation power. There are four elements necessary to cost-effectively develop a high power microwave simulation environment addressing the above problems: finite difference techniques, multigrid techniques, a modern scripting environment (Python), and internet-based distributed development. An outline of the role that each of these would play in the development of a “virtual laboratory” for electromagnetics is given in the proposal. In this approach, costs are minimized in three ways: 1) sharing development and testing work across a community of interested users, 2) building on free open source software (e.g. Python, Linux, etc.), which makes many environment and development tools available to all, and 3) keeping the complexity of tool algorithms to the necessary minimum. The Internet and the collaborative tools now available make distributed software development not only possible, but also practical and efficient.