To run a simulation with adjoint-based adaptation, the first step is to express the goals of the simulation explicitly in terms of outputs of interest, for example, aerodynamic forces and moments. Once specified, the execution is controlled by the aero.csh script. The refinement procedure generates a mesh that minimizes the influence of discretization errors on the selected outputs. Details of the methodology can be found in AIAA-2007-4187, AIAA-2008-0725 and NASA TM-2014-218386; additional references are available here.

To run a case, you need the basic Cart3D input files, namely, Components.i.tri, input.c3d and input.cntl, and the aero.csh script. The details are explained below:

• How do I specify output functionals for adaptation?
• What are the parameters that I need to adjust in aero.csh?
• What files are required by aero.csh and how do I run a case?
• What are the output files of an adaptation run?

Please work through examples provided in $CART3D/cases/samples_adapt. You may like to try the adaptive NACA0012 case first, followed by the wing, cone-cylinder and multi-fun examples.

• Robust re-implementation of farfield outputs (adjoint consistent with sBOOM version 2.9 or newer, optSBOOM functionals)
• Examples featuring equivalent area and farfield outputs (see $CART3D/cases/samples_adapt/Ae_n0012 and $CART3D/cases/samples_adapt/aceSEL)

• Farfield outputs (optSBOOM functionals)
• Mass-flow outputs (optMassFlow functionals)
• Full support of new inflow and outflow boundary conditions (InletPressRatioBC, InletVelocityBC, PowerStagBC, and PowerMFRBC in input.cntl)
• Error estimation for multiple outputs, see the $CART3D/cases/samples_adapt/multi_fun example and the Functionals.xml file
• Many aero.csh improvements
  • Command line options: -h (-help or --help), -skipfinest, and -archive
  • auto_growth: automatically sets mesh growth factors
  • mpi_prefix: allows you to run mpix_flowCart
  • Straightforward restarts from any adapt directory
  • flowCart and adjointCart iterations (it_fc, ws_it, it_ad) refer to fine-grid iterations (see -fine option in flowCart)