Also with work at CPI we have done NR Jacobian relaxation solutions for chemical, photo-dissociation, and molecular transport process in the upper atmosphere.
It seems an interesting problem to create a comprehensive distributed framework for solving inter-disciplinary modeling problems: For example if you place a mechanical system within a box, would you be able to model the thermal properties of the box exterior, based on the activities going on inside? (accounting for energy transport from motors/joint friction to box interior (convection, radiation) and box heat conductance)
Thus my hobby-based work on simulation...
(Code and other info to be posted, However it is based on my initial ideas about frameworks captured in my Source Forge project called "Amino" - as yet not publicly viewable.)
Amino's concept is based on the idea of making complex things from simple things (ie. Amino Acids can form Protiens.)
Amino provides some basic Java classes that act as the foundation for building more complex java classes. Included are utility classes that allow conversion to-from XML/Java Code/text/GUI elements.
I've tried to model the expansion of this to build an IDE similar to IBM SmallTalk VisualAge. (Once I can do that, anything is possible!) Development has also begun on a Modeling and Simulation engine for dictributed computations using CORBA (http://openorb.sourceforge.net)and EJCCM (http://www.ejccm.org)
Non-commercial use is free.