Database structure for plasma modeling programs

Summary form only given. The data structure requirements of plasma programs are stated by defining suitable abstract data types. These abstractions are then reduced to data structures and a group of associated algorithms. These are implemented in an object-oriented language (C++) as object classes. Base classes encapsulate data management into a group of common functions such as input-output management, instance variable updating, and selection of objects by Boolean operations on their instance variables. Operations are thereby isolated from specific element types and uniformity of treatment is guaranteed. Creation of the data structures and associated functions for a particular plasma model is reduced merely to defining the finite element matrices for each equation, or the equations of motion for particle-in-cell (PIC) models. The central data type is an n-relation implemented as a tuple of variable internal structure. The flexibility of this database structure has been illustrated by setting up a finite element program for a continuum plasma model and a collisionless PIC simulation model.