A study on the numerical accuracy of the matrix elements in a time domain MOD methodology

In a time domain Marching-on-in-degree (MOD) solver based on a Galerkin implementation of the Method of Moments (MoM), it is observed that the matrix elements for the matrix to be inverted contain integrals that are similar to the ones encountered in a frequency domain MoM solver using the piecewise triangular patch basis functions. It is also observed that the error in the evaluation of the matrix elements involving these integrals are larger in the time domain than those involved in the frequency domain MoM solvers. The objective of this paper is to explain this dichotomy and how to improve upon them when using the triangular patch basis functions for both the time and the frequency domain techniques. When the distance between the two triangular patches involved in the evaluation of the matrix elements, are close to each other or when the degree of the Laguerre polynomial in a MOD method is high, the integral accuracy will be compromised and the number of sampling points to evaluate the integrals need to be increased. Numerical results are presented to illustrate this point.