Anastasia: A solid model based 3D finite difference mesh generator.

摘要

Finite difference (FD) is a method for approximating mathematical functions using regularly spaced samples of the function to be solved. Finite difference methods have proven to be very useful to a broad range of disciplines. One area where finite difference methods are particularly useful is for the estimation of electromagnetic (EM) effects. For instance, finite difference methods can be used to anticipate how the shape of a system will affect an objects resistance to EM attack or its ability to otherwise survive a hostile EM environment. Finite difference analysis codes require as input certain information at regularly spaced sample points. For our applications, each sample point must be associated with the appropriate material properties corresponding to the properties of the material at the physical point. Since all of the sample points are regularly spaced, they can be thought of as a grid or mesh. Anastasia is a software package which allows three dimensional finite difference meshes to be generated automatically from a geometric description of the problem known as a solid model. This manual provides the information necessary to be able to use Anastasia to generate meshes. The manual is divided into four major sections. The first section, the introduction, gives some background information about finite difference and mesh generation. The second section examines the methods by which Anastasia generates meshes, including the rationale behind the mesh generation process and techniques required to achieve particular results. The third section describes the usage of Anastasia. The fourth and final section is a collection of Appendices which present a variety of information pertinent to mesh generation with Anastasia.