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Some thoughts on the numerical modelling of electromagnetic processes
Author(s) -
Hammond P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
international journal of numerical modelling: electronic networks, devices and fields
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.249
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1099-1204
pISSN - 0894-3370
DOI - 10.1002/jnm.1660010103
Subject(s) - computation , computer science , field (mathematics) , numerical analysis , space (punctuation) , electromagnetic field , invariant (physics) , mathematics , calculus (dental) , mathematical analysis , algorithm , physics , pure mathematics , medicine , dentistry , quantum mechanics , mathematical physics , operating system
The use of models in giving meaning to sense data is described. It is shown that models are essential to human understanding, but that there are no uniquely ‘best’ models. This leads to the discussion of the design of suitable models for engineering use. The role of physical and mathematical models is mentioned, and attention is drawn to geometrical and physical features. It is stated that numerical methods have overriding advantages, one of which is the possibility of numerical experimentation. The modelling of vector fields is discussed and attention is drawn to the ideas of differential geometry which attach the vector field to the space in which it acts. It is shown that variational methods, together with numerical experiments, can be used to derive invariant parameters which give both global and local information about electromagnetic systems in a particularly economical method of computation.