A paris-model approach to modular simulation

Abstract

The development of complex models can be greatly facilitated by the utilization of libraries of reusable model components. In this paper we describe an object-oriented module specification formalism (MSF) for implementing archivable modules in support of continuous spatial modeling. This declarative formalism provides the high level of abstraction necessary for maximum generality, provides enough detail to allow a dynamic simulation to be generated automatically, and avoids the “hard-coded” implementation of space-time dynamics that makes procedural specifications of limited usefulness for specifying archivable modules. A set of these MSF modules can be hierarchically linked to create a parsimonious model specification, or “parsi-model”. The parsi-model exists within the context of a modeling environment (an integrated set of software tools which provide the computer services necessary for simulation development and execution), which can offer simulation services that are not possible in a loosely-coupled “federated” environment, such as graphical module development and configuration, automatic differentiation of model equations, run-time visualization of the data and dynamics of any variable in the simulation, transparent distributed computing within each module, and fully configurable space-time representations. We believe this approach has great potential for bringing the power of modular model development into the collaborative simulation arena.