Histories

Histories provide data from each time step of a simulation. They can provide useful diagnostics to make sure your simulation is proceeding as intended. Some histories are only available with certain simulation setups (e.g. only available in electromagnetic simulation, or only available in simulations with particles).

To add a history, right-click the “Histories” element of the setup tree then navigate to the history to be added to the simulation

Array History

An Array History will output an array of data for each time-step.

Field Slab Data

Store the value of a field at every timestep within a specified 3D volume.

kind (not editable)
Field Slab Data
description
A comment to describe the history.
field

Choose the field to record. Options for electromagnetic simulations are:

  • Electric Field
  • Magnetic Field

Options for electromagnetic simulations are:

  • Phi
  • Charge Density
  • Electric Field
volume

The volume inside of which to collect the field data.

  • cartesian 3d slab
    • xMin
      The minimum x position of the box.
    • xMax
      The maximum x position of the box.
    • yMin
      The minimum y position of the box.
    • yMax
      The maximum y position of the box.
    • zMin
      The minimum z position of the box.
    • zMax
      The maximum z position of the box.
Particle Momentum

Calculate the total momentum for a particular set of particles in the whole simulation domain. All three components of the momentum are recorded. Thus, for some simulations in 1D or 2D, some components of the momentum may always be zero.

kind (not editable)
Particle Momentum
particles
Select any of the previously defined KineticParticles in your simulation.
Far-Field Observation

ONLY AVAILABLE IN ELECTROMAGNETIC SIMULATIONS

kind (not editable)
Far-Field Observation
time delay
The simulation time at which the history begins recording.
duration
The simulation time length during which the history records.
number of time points
The number of time points.
Kirchhoff sphere radius
The radius of the Kirchhoff sphere.
number of polar angles
The number of polar angles represented on the Kirchhoff sphere.
number of azimuthal angles
The number of azimuthal angles represented on the Kirchhoff shpere.
number of line integral segments
The number of integration points around the far-field sphere.
Kirchhoff sphere center
The center of the Kirchhoff sphere.
Far-Field Box Data

ONLY AVAILABLE IN ELECTROMAGNETIC SIMULATIONS

kind (not editable)
Far-Field Box Data
start time
The simulation time at which the history begins recording.
end time
The simulation time at which the history ends recording.
volume

The volume to use for the box.

  • cartesian 3d slab
    • xMin
      The minimum x position of the box.
    • xMax
      The maximum x position of the box.
    • yMin
      The minimum y position of the box.
    • yMax
      The maximum y position of the box.
    • zMin
      The minimum z position of the box.
    • zMax
      The maximum z position of the box.

Combo History

Combo Histories are used to do operations on other histories. The operation is done at every time step and the resulting values are recorded as a new history. The output will be a 1D array of the value vs time. Any number of histories may be combined, beware of dividing by zero.

kind (not editable)
Combination History
Constituent History

As many constituent histories as desired may be added. The name of the constituent history itself is not of particular importance. - history name

Select one previously defined Field or Particle History.

  • coefficient This is a multiplying factor on the selected history.

  • combination This operation will be applied to combine the history with all preceding constituent histories. The order of operations is demonstrated in an example with three histories of each below

    add

    0 + (coefficient1*history name 1) + (coefficient2*history name 2) + (coefficient3*history name 3)

    subtract

    0 - (coefficient1*history name 1) - (coefficient2*history name 2) - (coefficient3*history name 3)

    multiply

    ((0 * (coefficient1*history name 1)) * (coefficient2*history name 2)) * (coefficient3*history name 3)

    divide

    ((0 / (coefficient1*history name 1)) / (coefficient2*history name 2)) / (coefficient3*history name 3)

    As the above examples show, using a multiply or divide operation on the first constituent history added will yield an error. If used on the third constituent history, the two preceding histories will be combined first and then multiplied or divided by the third.

Field History

Field Histories record on a per time-step basis. Field histories are used to measure quantities such as the value or energy of the field at a location. The output will be a 1D array of the value vs time.

Accelerating Voltage

This history creates a test electron and measures the accelerating voltage received by an electron traveling at a fixed velocity across a gap in a cavity structure. See acceleratingVoltage for a reference defining ‘acclerating voltage’.

kind (not editable)
Accelerating Voltage
description
A comment to describe the history.
start coordinate 0
The starting position of the test electron in the x-direction in Cartesian simulations (or z-direction in cylindrical simulations).
start coordinate 1
The starting position of the test electron in the y-direction in Cartesian simulations (or r-direction in cylindrical simulations).
start coordinate 2
The starting position of the test electron in the z-direction in Cartesian simulations (or phi-direction in cylindrical simulations).
end coordinate 0
The starting position of the test electron in the x-direction in Cartesian simulations (or z-direction in cylindrical simulations).
end coordinate 1
The starting position of the test electron in the y-direction in Cartesian simulations (or r-direction in cylindrical simulations).
end coordinate 2
The starting position of the test electron in the z-direction in Cartesian simulations (or phi-direction in cylindrical simulations).
velocity
The velocity of the test electron. By default this is the speed of light.
Electric Field Energy

Calculate the total energy of the electric field in the specified volume.

kind (not editable)
Electric Field Energy
volume

The region over which to calculate the field energy.

  • simulation region

    Use the entire simulation domain.

  • index 3d slab

    A user-defined volume based on cell indices.

    lower indices

    The lower indices of the volume.

    upper indices

    The upper indices of the volume.

EM Field Energy

Calculate the total energy of the electromagnetic field in the specified volume. Only available in electromagnetic simulations.

kind (not editable)
EM Field Energy
volume

The region over which to calculate the field energy.

  • simulation region

    Use the entire simulation domain.

  • index 3d slab

    A user-defined volume based on cell indices.

    lower indices

    The lower indices of the volume.

    upper indices

    The upper indices of the volume.

    shape

    A volume based on a previously defined geometry.

  • object name

    Select from a previously defined geometry.

Magnetic Field Energy

Calculate the total energy of the magnetic field in the specified volume.

kind (not editable)
Magnetic Field Energy
volume

The region over which to calculate the field energy.

  • simulation region

    Use the entire simulation domain.

  • index 3d slab

    A user-defined volume based on cell indices.

    lower indices

    The lower indices of the volume.

    upper indices

    The upper indices of the volume.

Field at Position

Record the specified field at the specified coordinates. All components of the field are recorded into an array.

kind (not editable)
Field at Position
field
Select the desired field.
coordinate0
The position coordinate in the 0th dimension, x in cartesian coordinates, z in cylindrical.
coordinate1
The position coordinate in the 1st dimension, y in cartesian coordinates, r in cylindrical.
coordinate2
The position coordinate in the 2nd dimension, z in cartesian coordinates.
Poynting Flux

ONLY AVAILABLE IN ELECTROMAGNETIC SIMULATIONS

Calculates the integrated Poynting vector (energy flux) through the area defined by the min and max values.

kind (not editable)
Poynting Vector
surface

The plane to use.

  • yz

    offset

    The x offset from zero, in meters.

    yMin

    The location of the y minimum, in meters.

    yMax

    The location of the y maximum, in meters.

    zMin

    The location of the z minimum, in meters.

    zMax

    The location of the z maximum, in meters.

  • xz

    offset

    The y offset from zero, in meters.

    xMin

    The location of the x minimum, in meters.

    xMax

    The location of the x maximum, in meters.

    zMin

    The location of the z minimum, in meters.

    zMax

    The location of the z maximum, in meters.

  • xy

    offset

    The z offset from zero, in meters.

    xMin

    The location of the x minimum, in meters.

    xMax

    The location of the x maximum, in meters.

    yMin

    The location of the y minimum, in meters.

    yMax

    The location of the y maximum, in meters.

Pseudo-potential

This option is deprecated. Use ‘Pseudo-potential at Coordinates’ or ‘pseudo-potential at Indices’ instead.

kind (not editable)
Pseudo-potential
start indices
The indices of the cells for the starting location.
end indices
The indices of the cells for the ending location.
Pseudo-potential at Coordinates

Calculates the pseudo-potential difference, in Volts, between two points. The start point would correspond to the measure point, while the end point would correspond to the reference.

kind (not editable)
Pseudo-potential
start coordinate 0
The coordinate of the start point in the 0th dimension.
start coordinate 1
The coordinate of the start point in the 1st dimension.
start coordinate 2
The coordinate of the start point in the 2nd dimension.
end coordinate 0
The coordinate of the end point in the 0th dimension.
end coordinate 1
The coordinate of the end point in the 1st dimension.
end coordinate 2
The coordinate of the end point in the 2nd dimension.
Pseudo-potential at Indices

Calculates the pseudo-potential difference, in Volts, between two points, specified by grid index.

kind (not editable)
Pseudo-potential
description
A description of the potential difference.
start indices
The indices of the cells for the starting location.
end indices
The indices of the cells for the ending location.

Log History

A Log History will record data based on user specified logging method. A single log history may contain multiple particle quantities.

Absorbed Particle Log

Record information about each and every particle that strikes a chosen absorbing surface. The output will be a 1D array of the value.

kind (not editable)
Absorbed Particle Log
particle absorber
Select the previously defined particle absorbing boundary condition. This must be a ParticleBoundaryCondition that can Save.
particle quantity

What information about the particle is to be recorded. For vector-like quantities (position, velocity, and weight), you must select which component of the vector you wish to record in the component option (0 –> x, 1 –> y, 2 –> z).

particle time
The time the particle strikes the absorber.
particle position
The position of the particle when it is absorbed.
particle velocity
The velocity of the particle when it is absorbed.
particle weight
The weight of the particle when it is absorbed.
particle energy
The total energy of all the particles that are absorbed.
particle current
The total current of all the particles that are absorbed.
particle gamma velocity
The gamma velocity of the particle when it is absorbed.
particle charge
The charge of the particle when it is absorbed.
particles in macro particle
The number of particles in that macro particle when it is absorbed.

Particle History

Particle Histories record on a per time-step basis. Particle histories are used to measure quantities such as the total number of particles in a simulation at each step, or the current absorbed at chosen absorbing surface at each step. The output will be a 1D array of the value vs time.

Absorbed Particle Current

Calculates the absorbed current on a specified particle absorber.

kind (not editable)
Absorbed Particle Current
particle absorber
Select the previously defined particle absorbing boundary condition. This must be a ParticleBoundaryCondition that can Save.
Absorbed Particle Power

Calculates the power absorbed on a specified particle absorber.

kind (not editable)
Absorbed Particle Power
particle absorber
Select the previously defined particle absorbing boundary condition. This must be a ParticleBoundaryCondition that can Save particle data.
Emitted Current

Records the emitted current from the specified particle emitter

kind (not editable)
Emitted Current
particle emitter
Select the previously defined particle emitting boundary condition.
Number of Macroparticles

Calculates the total number of macroparticles in the simulation domain for the specified KineticParticle.

kind (not editable)
Number of Macroparticles
particles
Select the name of the previously defined KineticParticles.
Number of Physical Particles

Calculates the total number of real particles in the simulation domain for the specified KineticParticle.

kind (not editable)
Number of Physical Particles
particles
Select the name of the previously defined KineticParticles.
Particle Energy

Calculates the total energy in the simulation domain for the specified KineticParticle.

kind (not editable)
Particle Energy
particles
Select the name of the previously defined KineticParticles.
Particle Energy Change from Boundary

Calculates the energy change in a particle species due to a diffuse reflector boundary condition.

kind (not editable)
Particle Energy Change from Boundary
particle absorber
Select the name of the boundary diffuse reflector particle boundary condition.