A SPARSE ITERATIVE METHOD (SIM) FOR METHOD OF MOMENTS CALCULATIONS

Abstract

The Sparse Iterative Method (SIM) provides a faster solution to Method of Moments (MoM) matrix equations than does LU-decomposition with forward and back substitution. The SIM produces a solution with computational time proportional to N^2, as opposed to the N^3 time dependence associated with LU-decomposition. The SIM is implemented in an object oriented MoM program which is functionally equivalent to NEC2. In three examples, the SIM is shown to produce results as accurate as LU-decomposition. For dipoles, a flat wire grid and a generic three dimensional missle shape, the speed increase ranged from 3-30 times the speed of LU-decomposition; greater speed increases can be expected with electrically larger problems. The SIM requires no problem formulation changes, such as segment renumbering, and despite the fact that it is demonstrated for a wire MoM based on NEC2, it is general enough to be incorporated to any MoM formulation.