Field Description

Using FieldML, there are three independent formats for describing a field. Each is complete enough that a transformation into the other formats is possible. The three formats are:

• Traditional Nodal Description - This format is based on the traditional way of teaching finite elements in the Engineering Science Department at Auckland University. It is basically a revision of CMGUI's .exelem and .exnode files into XML.
• General Linear Map Description - The general linear map description provides the absolute minimum information set needed to evaluate and manipulate a field. It is based on the "Generalized FEM" theory taken from Warren Hedley's Masters thesis, available from here.
• Natural Field Description - The natural field description is a non-technical and concise way of reaching the general linear map without explicitly calculating or specifying the map, and may be used where software capable of map calculation is available.

For Further Consideration

• Where do scale factors belong?
• Fields with multiple components - optimisations?
• Differentiating geometric fields from other types?