<p>We describe, implement, and analyze a class of staggered grid algorithms for efficient simulation and analysis of time-domain Maxwell systems in the case of heterogeneous, conductive, and nondispersive, isotropic, linear media. We provide the derivation of a continuous mathematical model from the Maxwell equations in vacuum; however, the complexity of this system necessitates the use of computational methods for approximately solving for the physical unknowns. The finite difference approximation has been used for partial differential equations and the Maxwell Equations in particular for many years. We develop staggered grid based finite difference discrete operators as a class of approximations to continuous operators based on second order in time and various order approximations to the electric and magnetic field at staggered grid locations. A generalized parameterized operator which can be specified to any of this class of discrete operators is then applied to the Maxwell system and hence we develop discrete approximations through various choices of parameters in the approximation. We describe analysis of the resulting discrete system as an approximation to the continuous system. Using the comparison of dispersion analysis for the discrete and continuous systems, we derive a third difference approximation, in addition to the known (2, 2) and (2, 4) schemes. We conclude by providing the comparison of these three methods by simulating the Maxwell system for several choices of parameters in the system

<p> We describe the implementation of optimal local radiation boundary condition sequences for second order finite difference approximations to Maxwell's equations and the scalar wave equation using the double absorbing boundary formulation. Numerical experiments are presented which demonstrate that the design accuracy of the boundary conditions is achieved and exceeds that of perfectly matched layers for comparable effort. </p><p> We also describe the application of CRBC type boundary conditions for elastic waves in (an)isotropic media. The results show that we can optimize the CRBC problems for a subset of elastic media. Additionally, we propose a generalized CRBC type boundary conditions that may be more applicable to elastic wave equations and present some preliminary results.</p>