OPOSSUM Handbook

OPOSSUM (OPen Source Optics Simulation System and Unified Modeller) is a platform for simulating and designing optical systems, with an emphasis on large-scale, high‑energy/intensity laser systems. This book is the project documentation for OPOSSUM.

How to read this manual

This manual follows the Diátaxis framework and is organized into four complementary sections:

• Concepts / Explanation — Overview of OPOSSUM and its design principles. Start with the introduction and see concepts for detailed explanations.
• Tutorials — Step‑by‑step guides to install and use the software. Begin with installation and then follow the tutorials.
• How‑to Guides — Practical recipes for accomplishing specific tasks (e.g., modeling a particular optical system). See How‑to Guides.
• Reference — Comprehensive, in‑depth documentation of the software. See the reference.

Suggested reading order: Concepts (first chapters only) → Tutorials → How‑to Guides → Concepts (further chapters) → Reference.