computer science

Hermes Project

Hermes Project is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hermes Project rather than just read about it. In short: Hermes2D (Higher-order modular finite element system) is a C++/Python library of algorithms for rapid development of adaptive hp-FEM solvers. hp-FEM is a modern version of the finite element method (FEM) that is capable of extremely fast, exponential convergence. Main features of the library The Hermes library can be used for a large variety of PDE problems ranging from linear elliptic equations to time-dependent no…

Key takeaways

Hermes Project belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hermes Project to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hermes Project from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Hermes2D (Higher-order modular finite element system) is a C++/Python library of algorithms for rapid development of adaptive hp-FEM solvers. hp-FEM is a modern version of the finite element method (FEM) that is capable of extremely fast, exponential convergence.

Main features of the library The Hermes library can be used for a large variety of PDE problems ranging from linear elliptic equations to time-dependent nonlinear multi-physics PDE systems arising in elasticity, structural mechanics, fluid mechanics, acoustics, electromagnetics, and other fields of computational engineering and science. The Hermes libraries are available for download under the GNU Lesser General Licence Terms as a means of providing open-source software for the development of Computational Scientific Research. Hermes implementation of adaptive hp-FEM for improved convergence and accuracy in non-linear systems is featured in the software. The software and underlying numerical methods are developed by an international hp-FEM group at the University of Nevada at Reno (United States), University of West Bohemia in Plzeň and Institute of Thermomechanics in Prague (Czech Republic). Hermes is based on space- and space-time adaptive multi-mesh hp-FEM algorithms working with highly irregular meshes. The mesh generation is designed using arbitrary-level hanging nodes.

Documentation The Documentation for the Hermes libraries is an extensive set of instructions, information and tutorials related to the use of Hermes and the Finite Element Method. Hermes includes instructions for the installation of collaborating Third Party Libraries (TPLs) as well as an introduction to the mathematics behind the hp-FEM method and detailed instructions on the use and modification of the code. Any user who wished to add to the capabilities of Hermes can find instructions on how to submit their work directly to the authors via GitHub. The documentation includes tutorials for the download and compilation of Hermes on multiple operating systems, as well as example problems and tests for each software package.

See also List of numerical analysis software List of finite element software packages

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hermes Project

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hermes Project claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hermes Project before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hermes Project ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hermes Project

In research: Hermes Project appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hermes Project in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hermes Project is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Finite element method, Finite element software, Finite element software for Linux, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hermes Project outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hermes Project in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hermes Project means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hermes Project out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hermes Project in simple terms?

Why does Hermes Project matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hermes Project?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hermes Project.