An open standard for simulation of neutron scattering instruments (MCLIB) is
proposed by P.A.Seeger et al. A web-based application has been developed on
top of this package for several reasons:
1- The web is used to avoid having to deal with cross-platform issues. The
web technology (servers, browsers) is mature enough to develop such
applications.
2- Creation of the geometry file required for input to the MCLIB application
code (MC_RUN) is not an easy task. This application allows the end users to
create such files through several easy Web forms. A file can then be
downloaded to the end user's computer and used to run a simulation on the
local machine.
3- This application is also a server of element types used in the instrument
composition. The end users have access to a central library of approved
element types.
4- This application can also output a 3D interactive view of the instrument
being built.
5- Because the Web pages are very easy to use, this application can be seen
as a teaching tool focusing on the physics and hiding the code complexity.
6- At a higher and more complex level, this application is also a repository
and an interface for creating new element type definitions. An 'expert' can
define (in his own space) new beam-line elements from region types already
existing in the MCLIB library or incorporating new physics models. This
application can thus be seen as a compiler of element-type definitions. We
will have a methodology and an approval process so that a locally defined
element type can become available to the world after review.
Examples and demonstrations will be given.
(posted 24-Oct-97 jw)