Abstract
In this paper, we present and construct a distributed problem solving environment (PSE) for partial differential equation (PDE) based problems. The system inputs a problem information including a discretization and computation scheme, and outputs a program flow and also a C-language source code for the problem. On a host computer a user inputs his/her problem, and the host navigates the user to solve the problem. The distributed PSE for PDEs consists of several modules: a problem description module, a discretization one, an equation manipulation one, a program design one and a program generation one. Each module is distributed on distributed computers, and the whole information is described by the Extensible Markup Language (XML) including the Mathematical Markup Language (MathML); each distributed module communicates with the host module by using XML documents, so that outputs from each modules are visualized. Independent modules which are developed by other engineers or users for one of the functions specified above can be also used after adjustments to the distributed PSE interface, if necessary. Therefore the concept of the distributed PSE extends the potential of conventional PSE systems. The system is implemented by the Java language with the Document Object Model (DOM), in order to make the system a networked and distributed PSE.
