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FORCinel is a user-friendly, freeware program that calculates first order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams from raw FORC data files. FORCinel uses a locally-weighted regression smoothing algorithm (often referred to as "LOESS" smoothing) to calculate FORC diagrams.

This algorithm offers several advantages over more traditional methods: (1) it allows the FORC distribution to be calculated using a constant smoothing factor all the way to the H_c = 0 axis, (2) non-integer values of the smoothing factor can be specified, enabling finer control over the degree of smoothing and the development of a graphical method for automated selection of the optimum smoothing factor, and (3) it performs automated extrapolation across gaps or undefined regions of FORC space. This latter option has two applications: (a) bad curves or outlying data points caused by instrumental instabilities can be removed from the data, eliminating artifacts from the final FORC diagram, and (b) specific regions of interest in the FORC measurement can be masked out in order to investigate their contribution to the final FORC diagram.

The FORCinel suite of FORC analysis tools is operated using a graphical user interface that runs inside IGOR Pro, a cross-platform (Macintosh, Windows) programming environment produced by Wavemetrics. Researchers wanting to use FORCinel must first download a free, fully functional demo version of IGOR Pro from http://www.wavemetrics.com/support/demos.htm.

FORCinel is provided as freeware.