From schema-based model inputs to trustworthy plasma simulations

Low-temperature plasma modelling commonly requires the numerical solution of a large system of coupled partial differential equations for densities of numerous particle species and electron energy, as well as for the electric field evolution. In commercial and open-source simulation environments alike, the manual implementation of such so-called fluid-Poisson models is time-consuming, error-prone, and difficult to reproduce, which poses a significant challenge for verification and validation in simulation-driven research and engineering. To address this, we present a schema-based workflow for the automated generation and implementation of spatiotemporal fluid-Poisson plasma models from structured, machine-readable input data. The proposed approach relies on well-defined JSON-schema-based input files that formally describe the set of plasma species, their properties, plasma-chemical reaction mechanisms, rate and transport coefficients, as well as geometry and plasma source parameters. From these inputs, the workflow automatically defines the particle balance equations, the electron energy density balance, and the Poisson equation, thereby reducing manual intervention in model setup and limiting implementation ambiguities and potential errors. The explicit schema definition supports consistency checks, transparency of assumptions, and provenance-aware documentation of model inputs, which are key requirements for reproducible modelling workflows. The methodology is realized as open-source software for the commercial simulation package COMSOL Multiphysics and is also compatible with procedures for open-source platforms such as FEniCS. Its applicability is demonstrated for representative low-temperature plasma case studies, showing that the same formally specified model can be reproduced across software environments. This enables more reliable cross-platform comparison, facilitates software verification, and strengthens confidence in the correctness of implemented plasma chemistry and transport models. By combining automated model generation with structured input schemas, the presented workflow contributes to trustworthy simulations. It provides a practical basis for semantically documented simulation pipelines, as required, e.g. for the future integration of simulation and measurement data and digital twins.