1. A system for simulating a lithographic design, the system comprising: means for partitioning a database which includes information which is representative of the lithographic design; means for converting the lithographic design to a pixel-based bitmap representation thereof, wherein the pixel-based bitmap includes pixel data, and wherein each pixel datum represents a pixel having a predetermined pixel size, wherein the lithographic design includes resolution enhancement technology; and means for calculating a portion of an aerial image of the lithographic design using a corresponding portion of the pixel-based bitmap representation of the lithographic design.