Adaptive hp finite element computations of the scattering width output of Maxwells equations

A procedure is presented for the solution of electromagnetic wave scattering problems, employing triangular meshes and arbitrary order edge elements. A scattered field formulation is employed and the far field boundary condition is imposed by the use of a PML. An a-posteriori error estimation procedure is described that enables the bounding of the computed scattering width distribution. The error estimator is also employed to drive an adaptive mesh algorithm, either by increasing the element order or by decreasing the element size. Numerical examples, involving scatterers that are perfect electrical conductors, demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods.