PHYS 338 - Computer Simulations in Physics
Instructor: Katharina Vollmayr-Lee, kvollmay@bucknell.edu, Olin 152, x7-3109Office Hours: MWF 2-3, T 4-5 and by appointment (my schedule)
Texts:
- (Online Chs:) M. Newman, Computational Physics
- (Online:) H. Gould, J. Tobochnik, W. Christian, An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods
Class Members: Andrew Marinaccio, Coby Sagal, Jeanine Shea, JJ Simons, Grant Smith
Course Information
Announcements:
- Symposium Talks:
- (poster)
- April 23, Tue: Andrew, Jeanine, Grant
- April 25, Thu: JJ, Coby
- Pamphlet: (front), (backside)
Assignments
All Homework-Python Scripts need to be copied into your ~/share.dir/ and given read-permission (see Linux Exercise)
| Due | Topic | Homework |
| Jan.17 | Python: Jupyter & In/Out & Variables | HW 1 (Linux Excercise, Sign-Up ) |
| Jan.22 | Python: Arithmetic & Decisions | HW2 (due Wed,Jan.23,5pm): Bibliography/Model |
| Jan.24 | Python: Repetitions & Arrays | HW2 (due Wed,Jan.23,5pm): Bibliography/Model |
| Jan.29 | Python: Arrays & Functions | HW3 (final version bibliography/model) |
| HW 4, Paper (annotated for Paper I) | ||
| Feb.5 | Talk Tool (Latex & xfig) | HW5: (handwritten) 1st Vs. Introduction/Background/Methods Section(s) |
| Feb.7 | Random Walk | no HW |
| Feb.12 | Fractal Growth | HW6 (First Main Project Paper) |
| Feb.14 | Fractal Growth | HW7: Feb.12 inclass,2nd page: Fractal Growth tasks 2a,2b (only specified pages).Tasks are due as hardcopy because of 2b being flow chart. |
| Feb.19 | Fractal Growth | HW8 (Final Version of First Main Project Paper) |
| Feb.21 | Talks \& Fractal Dimension | HW 9 Flow Chart 1st Version (Main Project) |
| Feb.26 | Mini-Project I Talks | HW 10: Mini-Project I |
| Feb.28 | Main Project Talks | HW 11: Main Project Talks (see "Talk Tools" below) |
| March5 | Main Project In Class | HW 12 , HW 13 (First Vs. of Main Project Program) |
| March19 | MD Simulations Intro | HW 13 due March 6, 6am (1st Vs. of Main Project Program) |
| Mar.20 | MD Simulations: Stability | HW 14 : Sign-Up and due Fr: 2nd Vs. of Main Project Program |
| Mar.21 | MD Simulations: DDP | HW 15 : Sign-Up extension: 1st Results due Thu, 3/28 |
| Mar.26 | Miniproject II | HW 15 extension: 1st Results due Thu, 3/28 |
| Mar.28 | Miniproject II | HW 15 1st Results |
| Apr.2 | Figures & xmgrace | HW 16: 2nd Results (hardcopies of xmgrace figures,table(s) with key word interpretations) |
| Apr.4 | Traffic Flow | HW 17 (Final Main Project Program) |
| Apr.9 | Traffic Flow | HW 18 (Results Sec. of Main Project Paper) |
| Apr.11 | Traffic Flow | HW 19 due: Apr.16 Title & Abstract |
| Apr.16 | Mini-Proj.III: Traffic Flow | HW 19 Title & Abstract |
| Apr.18 | Mini-Proj.III: Traffic Flow | HW 20 (Second Main Project Paper, "1st" Version), Paper |
| Apr.23 | Symposium Talks | HW 21 (talks: Andrew, Jeanine, Grant, and abstract \& title) |
| Apr.25 | Symposium Talks | HW 22 (talks: JJ and Coby) |
| May 7 | Final Paper | HW 22 due May 7, 8am (Final Version of 2nd Main Project Paper) |
In-Class Work
- Jan.15: Course Info & Literature Search
- Linux Exercise
- Jan.17: HW2: Bibliography/Model, Python (jupyter,script,in/out)
- In-Class Work: Python Jan. 17,
Jan. 22,
Jan. 24,
Jan. 29
For sample files see ~kvollmay/share.dir/pythonsamples.dir/
and solutions for inclass work are in ~kvollmay/share.dir/inclass2019.dir/ - In-Class Work: latex & xfig (Feb. 5)
- In-Class Work: Random Walks 1 dim. (Feb. 7) , msd for SiO2
- Event Announcements: Physics & Astronomy Alumni Panel 2019 , PA Young Women in Physics 2019
- In-Class Work: Fractal Growth Feb.12 , (Cellular Automata Intro) , Pictures Fractals in Nature, Mandelbrot Set, Picture of window with ice fractals fractals (from books) , DLA Rules , Feb.14 , Feb.19 , DLA Flow Chart ,
- In-Class Work: Latex Beamer & Fractal Dimension
- In-Class Work: Numerical Integration (MD Simulation) Intro to MD Class (March 19), MD: Harm. Osc. & Stability (March 20), MD of Driven Damped Pendulum: MD: Damped Driven Pendulum (March 21), Miniproject II (March 26)
- Figures: Graphical Representation (Prof. I. Sulai, Phys310 talk),
In-Class: Figures with xmgrace (
March 28April 2) - In-Class Work: Traffic Flow
- Traffic Flow Paper by D. Chowdhury et al.preprint and pdf and annotated
- In-Class: April 4, Update-Rules , April 9, Paper: Annotated Model Section, April 11, April 16 and Miniproject III (April 16 & 18) ,
Guidelines For Main Project
- Previous Simul. Projects: Spring 2017, Spring 2015, Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Spring 2010, Spring 2009, Spring 2008, Spring 2005
- Traffic Flow Paper by D. Chowdhury et al.preprint and pdf and annotated
- Computational Physics Section of AJP (eds.Gould & Tobochnik)
- Bibliography/Model
- Paper, Paper (annotated for Paper I)
- in-class: latex & xfig and for info: APS homepage for RevTeX (including links to documentation) and Tutorial Getting Started with LaTeX
- Talk Tools:
- Figures: Graphical Representation (Prof. I. Sulai, Phys310 talk),
In-Class: Figures with xmgrace (
March 28April 2) - Symposium Talks:
- (poster)
- Pamphlet: (front), (backside)
- April 23, Tue: Andrew, Jeanine, Grant
- April 25, Thu: JJ, Coby
Literature Search Tools
- Scientific Papers: Web of Science and Google Scholar
- BU pages: Library & IT (includes ILL and Journals A-Z), Databases (use to get to Web of Science when off campus; includes social science paper data bases)
- Books: BU Library Catalog (World Cat)
- Physics Sources: APS Journals (PRL,PRE, etc.), IOP Journals, ADS Labs (NASA) search, arXiv.org (preprints)
Computer Tools
- linuxremote server via web browser (update May 2020):Links & Info
- Xmanager Power Suite Installation (for windows) (update May 2020):Info
- Access to Linux on Mac:(E.Wessler) or XQuartz(from next item) and see CSCI203 Info.
- Installation of Xmanager Power Suite on Windows
- Making linux space available on Windows (updates:step1 "Computer"→"File Explorer;step2 first left-click "Network"; step5 "logon"→"sign-in")
- Linux Summary and Linux Exercise
- Computer Tools (PHYS310 Junior Lab)