2. How COSP works

• When the COSP feature of PHOENICS is used for constant-optimising tasks of type 1 above, it takes as inputs:

1. a Q1 file of multi-run type, which defines the experimental conditions which PHOENICS is required to simulate;
2. a "target data" file which contains the experimental data, for each of these conditions, with which it is desired that the PHOENICS predictions should agree;
3. a preliminary set of values of the constants which it is desired to optimise;
4. information about how close a fit it is desired to achieve.

• PHOENICS multi-runs are then performed in repeated cycles. At the end of each cycle, the predictions are compared with the target data;
• a new set of constants is then selected in accordance with a systematic error-minimising strategy;
• the EARDAT file is correspondingly changed; and a new multi-run is then conducted;
• Cycles are terminated when the errors have been sufficiently reduced.
• Similar proceedings take place when the optimisation task is of type2.

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