Development of a Didactic Model of the Hydrologic Cycle Using the TerraME Graphical Interface for Modeling and Simulation

Abstract

Many modeling and simulation platforms provide general programming languages as interfaces for model construction. Some offers high-level modeling languages with conceptual basis and services to represent data structures and rules that will determine the model behavior. However, the direct use of a computational language is still a limiting factor to the broad usage of these platforms. Modelers often have different scientific backgrounds, presenting a lack of background on algorithms and programming techniques. Furthermore, there is no established methodology for model development. These problems confuse the modelers forcing them to deviate their attention from the problem being solved. We argue that a visual integrated development environment (IDE) can solve these problems, making easy the understanding and communication of the model conception and design. An IDE can also enforce the use of a common model development methodology. In this paper we describe a methodology for modeling Earth system phenomena using the TerraME GIMS tool, which is a visual IDE for the TerraME modeling and simulation platform. It enables users to build environmental models through visual metaphors that graphically describe models structure. We demonstrate the use of TerraME GIMS and present our methodology for the development of a didactic model for the hydrologic cycle. Future works include the development of diagrams to better describe the model behavior, including agent synchronization and communication.