PHYS 338 - Computer Simulations in Physics

Instructor: Katharina Vollmayr-Lee, kvollmay@bucknell.edu, Olin 152, 570-577-3109

Classes: MW 3-4:20 am ACWS 204

Office Hours: T 4-5:30 pm and F 2:30-4 pm

Texts:

• (Online Chs:) M. Newman, Computational Physics
• (Online:) H. Gould, J. Tobochnik, W. Christian, An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods

Course Information

• Course Information (updated 02/09)

Announcements:

• updated course information see above (02/09)
• Feb.19: First Version of Flow Chart for your main project due

Assignments

Please submit Homework (pdf-files and Python scripts) by copying them into your ~/share.dir/ and give read-permission (see Linux Exercise).

Due	Topic	Homework
Jan. 27	Python: In/Out & Variables	HW 1 (Linux Excercise, Sign-Up )
Jan. 29	Python: Arithmetic & Decisions	HW2: Bibliography/Model (annotated) & mini-update in class
Feb. 3	Python: Decisions & Repetitions	HW3
Feb. 5 10	Python: Repetitions,Lists, Arrays & Functions	HW4: HW4 (2nd Vs Bibl./Model and python inclass 10.)
Feb.12	Random Walks (1 dim)	HW5: Finish In-Class Tasks 19 (due in ~/share.dir/)
Feb.17	Random Walks (2dim), Read Sci. Papers, Fractal Growth Intro, & DLA	HW6 Final Model/Bibliography (hardcopy and in ~/share.dir/)
Feb. 19	DLA	HW7 (1st Vs of Flow Chart)
Feb. 24	Scientific Talks & xfig	HW8 (1st Vs of Background)
Feb. 26	Finish DLA program	HW9 (1st Vs of Main Project Talk Slides)
March 3	DLA: Fractal Dimension	HW10 (Final Vs of Background (& 03/05 mini-projI)
March 5	Mini-Project I Talks	Mini-Project I
03/18&21	03/21 3-4pm Main-Project I Talks	03/18 Final Flow Chart & 03/21 Main Project I Talk

In-Class Work

• Jan. 22: Course Info (annotated), Literature Search
• Jan. 27: HW2: Bibliography/Model, Python (in/out)
• Jan. 29: mini-presentations of your projects and Python: Arithmetic & Decisions
• Feb. 3: Python: Arithmetic & Decisions & Repetitions
• Feb. 5 10: updated Course Info, Python: Repetitions, Lists, Arrays & Functions And Getting Files to Linuxremote
• Solutions for Python Intro Section Tasks 9-21 are for example in ~kvollmay/share.dir/inclass2025.dir/classpython21.py
• Feb.12: In-Class Work: Random Walks 1 dim. (Feb. 12) , msd for SiO2 msd for KALJ [AJP 88, 401 (2020)],
• Solutions for one dimensional random walk are for example in ~kvollmay/share.dir/inclass2025.dir/classrndwalk2d.py
• Feb.17:
  • Random Walk in 1d Analysis: Notes on mean squared displacement of 1d random walk Mean squared displacements for structural glass formers: msd for SiO2 msd for KALJ [AJP 88, 401 (2020)],
  • For Main Project: Bibliography/Model, Flow Chart & Background
  • Reading Scientific Papers:
    • Intro to Lit. Search and Reading Journal Articles (by Prof. C. Bester; Summer 2021)
    • Example: Annotated Traffic Flow Paper by D. Chowdhury et al. annotated
  • Intro to Fractal Growth, DLA model: Cellular Automata Intro , Pictures Fractals in Nature, Mandelbrot Set, Picture of window with ice fractals fractal pictures (from books) , DLA Rules , DLA Flow Chart , In-Class Feb. 17 ,
• Feb.19: DLA Rules , DLA Flow Chart , In-Class Feb. 19 ,
• Feb. 24:
  
  • Scientific Talks: How to Give Talks (KVL) , further resource: Great Talks (by Prof. A. Graves)
  • Talk Examples: SiO2 (BU 2009) , Granular Gas / Hydrodynamics (APS 2011) and Ohio, April 2017 (SiO2 Jumps & Scaling)
  • xfig: In-Class Feb. 24 ,
• Feb. 26: HW10 (& 03/05 Mini-Project I), DLA Rules , DLA Flow Chart , In-Class Feb. 26 (Finish DLA program),
• March 3: Mini-Project I, DLA Rules , DLA Flow Chart , In-Class March 3 ,

Guidelines For Main Project

• Previous Simul. Projects: Spring 2023, Spring 2021, Spring 2019, Spring 2017, Spring 2015, Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Spring 2010, Spring 2009, Spring 2008, Spring 2005, Spring 2003
• Traffic Flow Paper by D. Chowdhury et al.preprint and pdf and annotated
• Computational Physics Section of AJP (eds.Gould & Tobochnik)
• Bibliography/Model, Flow Chart & Background
• Reading Scientific Papers:
  • Intro to Lit. Search and Reading Journal Articles (by Prof. C. Bester; Summer 2021)
  • Example: Annotated Traffic Flow Paper by D. Chowdhury et al. annotated
• From Summerresearch Skill Session, June 15, 2022: Introduction to Latex
  • Guidance for Latex Class
  • Template for Paper: templateWithBibAll.zip
  • Template for Talk: beamer_example_All.zip

Literature Search Tools

• Scientific Papers: Web of Science (accessible from FastX session or Databases next line) 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

• FastX (linuxremote server via web browser)Links & Info
• In past: Xmanager Power Suite Installation (for windows):Info 2020 and vpn info
• In past: Linux on Mac:X11 (E.Wessler) or XQuartz and see CSCI203 Info.
• Linux Summary and Linux Exercise
• Computer Tools (PHYS310 Junior Lab)

Cool Pictures & Webpages

• Pictures Fractals in Nature and Mandelbrot Set