Fast and accurate RCS evaluation via high-performance parallel FDTD simulation

Abstract

In this study, a fast and accurate method to predict the radar cross-section (RCS) of large-scale and complicated shape targets is proposed based on a high-performance parallel finite difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical method. To this end, several most popular parallel computation methods [including OpenMP, graphics processing unit (GPU), and message-passing interface (MPI)] are discussed first. Based on this discussion, a novel MPI–OpenMP–GPU hybrid parallel computation scheme for FDTD is developed. Moreover, the corresponding load-balance parallel configuration is discussed as well. Since this hybrid parallel scheme combines the merits of existing parallel technologies, the computation performance is remarkably improved. The results show that the computation time of the RCS simulation of a large-scale target can be reduced from 3 days to 0.8 h, that is, ∼98.9% time saving.

Keywords

• application program interfaces
• radar cross-sections
• parallel algorithms
• finite difference time-domain analysis
• message passing
• parallel processing
• radar computing
• mpi
• high-performance parallel fdtd simulation
• parallel computation methods
• large-scale target
• rcs simulation
• computation time
• computation performance
• parallel technologies
• hybrid parallel scheme
• corresponding load-balance parallel configuration
• novel mpi–openmp–gpu hybrid parallel computation scheme
• message-passing interface
• high-performance parallel finite difference time-domain numerical method
• complicated shape targets
• radar cross-section
• time 0.8 hour to 3.0 d