A computational steering system for studying microwave interactions with missile bodies

The paper describes a computer modeling and simulation system that supports computational steering, which is an effort to make the typical simulation workflow more efficient. Our system provides an interface that allows scientists to perform all of the steps in the simulation process in parallel and online. It uses a standard network flow visualization package, which has been extended to display graphical output in an immersive virtual environment such as a CAVE. Our system allows scientists to interactively manipulate simulation parameters and observe the results. It also supports inverse steering, where the user specifies the desired simulation result, and the system searches for the simulation parameters that achieve this result. Taken together, these capabilities allow scientists to more efficiently and effectively understand model behavior, as well as to search through simulation parameter space. The paper is also a case study of applying our system to the problem of simulating microwave interactions with missile bodies. Because these interactions are difficult to study experimentally, and have important effects on missile electronics, there is a strong desire to develop and validate simulation models of this phenomena.