Comparison of WIPL-D to Other EM Computation Methods
Abstract
The computation of radiation patterns of complex antennas and the determination of scattering patterns of complex structures requires the solution of Maxwell's equations in either the time or frequency domain. In almost all applications of interest, these equations cannot be solved in closed form, and numerical methods must be employed to effect solution. Of the techniques available, including the Finite Element Method, the Finite Difference, and the Finite Difference Time Domain approaches, the Method of Moments (MoM) surface integral equation solves Maxwell's equations for conducting structures more efficiently. The electromagnetic computation application WIPL-D (Wires, Plates, and Dielectrics) is a commercially available analysis tool based on the MoM. It has the advantage, compared to other tools of this type, of requiring fewer unknowns for accurate computation, thus reducing the computation time. The reduction in number of unknowns is based on the employment of knowledge-based polynomial basis functions that require only 10 to 20 unknowns per square wavelength, compared to 100 to 300 unknowns for other methods. Also, in addition, because of the use of entire domain basis functions, continuity of the charge is guaranteed. In this paper we discuss this difference and give examples of the speed and accuracy of WIPL-D in practical applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 23, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA438744
Entities
People
- J. H. Kirkland
- R. W. Mcmillan
Organizations
- United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command