We describe a binding schema markup language (BSML) for describing data interchange between scientific codes. Such a facility is an important constituent of scientific problem solving environments (PSEs). BSML is designed to integrate with a PSE or application composition system that views model specification and execution as a problem of managing semistructured data. The data interchange problem is addressed by three techniques for processing semistructured data: validation, binding, and conversion. We present BSML and describe its application to a PSE for wireless communications system design. 1

This thesis investigates several issues in data and computation modeling for scientific problem solving environments (PSEs). A PSE is viewed as a software system that provides (i) a library of simulation components, (ii) experiment management, (ii) reasoning about simulations and data, and (iv) problem solving abstractions. Three specific ideas, in functionalities (ii)-(iv), form the contributions of this thesis. These include the EMDAG system for experiment management, the BSML markup language for data interchange, and the use of data mining for conducting non-trivial parameter studies. This work emphasizes data modeling and management, two important aspects that have been largely neglected in modern PSE research. All studies are performed in the context of S 4 W, a sophisticated PSE for wireless system design.