The software tag has no wiki summary.
60
votes
15answers
23k views
What software programs are used to draw physics diagrams, and what are their relative merits?
People undoubtedly use a variety of programs to draw diagrams for physics, but I am not familiar with many of them. I usually hand-draw things in GIMP. GIMP is powerful in some regards, but it's ...
12
votes
5answers
487 views
Online physics collaboration tools
I.e. online discussion with your friends. A forum is probably too overkill in this case.
Yet so far nothing can beat direct communication.
Important feature: the ability to archive discussions. We ...
12
votes
2answers
212 views
What open-source n-body codes are available and what are their features?
I'm interested in doing simulations with large numbers of particles and need a good n-body code. Are there any out there in the public domain that are open-source and what are their strengths and ...
11
votes
2answers
237 views
Searching books and papers with equations
Sometimes I may come up with an equation in mind, so I want to search for the related material. It may be the case that I learn it before but forget the name, or, there is no name for the equation ...
10
votes
7answers
1k views
Software for physics calculations
What is some good free software for doing physics calculations?
I'm mainly interested in symbolic computation (something like Mathematica, but free).
9
votes
3answers
401 views
How to convert a FITS file to .xls Excel file?
We are trying to determine the isophots in elliptical galaxies in order
to check De-Vaucouleurs law. To do so, we want to convert the data from a
FITS file to Excel and analyze it using Excel math ...
8
votes
10answers
81 views
Are there websites or programmes that permit a simulation of the night sky in the past and the future on an ordinary computer?
Are there websites or programs that permit a simulation of the night sky in the past and the future on an ordinary computer?
(For the past, I would be content with objects visible to the naked eye.)
...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
What programming languages would be helpful for a physicist to know? [closed]
From the vantage point of a physicist and the kind of problems he would like a computer program to solve, what are the essential programming languages that a physicist should know.
I know C++ and I ...
7
votes
6answers
1k views
Physics and Computer Science
Not sure if this is a 'real' question, but what is the relation between physics and computer science? A lot of physicists are also computer scientists and vice versa. My professor has a PhD in Physics ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
Where can I find simulation software for electricity and magnets?
Is there easily-available* software to simulate coils, solenoids, and other magnetic and electromagnetic devices?
I'd like to play around with some design ideas, such as Halbach arrays, but physics ...
7
votes
1answer
32 views
When taking a sequence of exposures for stacking/coaddition, what dither patterns are most commonly desired? Why?
When taking a sequence of exposures for stacking/coaddition, what dither patterns are most commonly desired? When visiting a telescope, what default dither patterns would a visiting astronomer like to ...
7
votes
3answers
566 views
Is there a nice tool to plot graphs of paper citations? [closed]
I would like a tool which allows me to enter some paper citation, and then will begin drawing a graph, where each paper is linked to other papers that cite the original paper or are cited by it.
It ...
7
votes
1answer
108 views
Spectral energy distribution fitting tools or routines [closed]
I have observed magnitudes and fluxes for an object in different wavelengths from optical to mm. Now I need a tool, routine or something like that to fit a spectral energy distribution (SED) and ...
6
votes
3answers
429 views
Computer game with quantum optics / quantum information
Is there a computer game using principles of quantum optics or quantum information?
By game I mean not just a simulation or an interactive course, but something than can be played in an enjoyable ...
6
votes
3answers
39 views
How to get started in Astronomy (UK based) [closed]
I have always been interested in space and astronomy (in my youth - I wanted to be an astronaut).
However for various reasons, I never quite got started. I now want to get started - small but ...
5
votes
4answers
178 views
What free software is there for observing the sky (sky map software)
I used until now only stellarium.org and I'm curious if there is any other software that is better than stellarium. By better, I mean:
doesn't have high system ...
5
votes
5answers
331 views
Computing Planetary Positions
Shortly, I will be beginning my third year at University in Computer Science, I am a software developer and I will be required to work on a final year project.
My idea for my final year project is ...
5
votes
3answers
305 views
Supergravity calculation using computer algebra system in early days
I was having a look at the original paper on supergravity by Ferrara, Freedman and van Nieuwenhuizen available here. The abstract has an interesting line saying that
Added note: This term has now ...
5
votes
1answer
184 views
Matlab package: graphical calculus for quantum operations (esp. linear optics)
I need a matlab package that will make my life easier. I have quantum circuits with optical beam splitters, polarizing beam splitters and photodetectors. These circuits are getting very complicated ...
5
votes
2answers
517 views
Trying to model pinball physics for game AI
I'm working on an AI for a pinball-related video game. The ultimate goal for the system is that the AI will be able to fire a flipper at the appropriate time to aim a pinball at a particular point on ...
5
votes
1answer
160 views
Why do air bubbles stick to the side of plastic tubing?
I'm watching water with air bubbles flow through transparent plastic tubing. The inner diameter is a few mm. Bubbles typically are the same diameter as the tubing, with length about the same or up ...
5
votes
0answers
87 views
Supersymmetry calculations using computer algebra
Already the early papers on supergravity were written using computer algebra software to do some calculations. What modern packages do people normally use for doing such calculations? Of course ...
4
votes
1answer
468 views
Stellar evolution simulation engine or software
Is there any general purpose stellar evolution simulation engine or software? Something to throw in properties of the star and to watch how (and why) they change along the timeline - with or without ...
4
votes
2answers
227 views
How to calculate linar velocity of planet orbit?
I try to simulate a solar system with planets (with random mass) placed randomly around a sun with a mass $X \times \text{solar mass}$.
The simulation is going well when I use real data ...
4
votes
1answer
60 views
How to identify the objects in an astrophoto, and what portion of the sky it covers?
Given an astrophoto with a resolution between 0.5 and 5 arcseconds per pixel, which ways exist to identify the direction of view, field of view, and objects in the picture?
I believe most amateur ...
4
votes
8answers
2k views
Is there a general physics simulator for learning purposes?
Is there a complete physics simulator that I can use to do general simulations for learning purposes? For example:
Create a sandbox.
Fill with a gas.
Load a 3d solid model like this (but 3d).
Fill ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Software for geometrical optics
Is there any good software for construction optical path's in geometrical optics. More specifically I want features like:
draw $k \in \mathbb{N}$ objects $K_1,\dots,K_n$ with indices of refraction ...
4
votes
2answers
140 views
What is the meaning of negative mass (in a SUSY spectrum)?
I was playing around with SuSpect to generate some SUSY mass spectrums and I'm often encountering situations where I get a negative neutralino mass.
What is the physical meaning of this negative ...
3
votes
3answers
310 views
Numerical software to manipulate a light beam in its plane wave representation?
Any light field can be expressed as a sum of plane waves. Such an ensemble of plane waves is called the plane wave spectrum of the light field. The plane wave spectrum is the Fourier transform of the ...
3
votes
1answer
104 views
What can drive the higgs mass in mSUGRA up?
As a test to familiarize myself with the program softsusy, I generated a spectrum for the following (already excluded, but once considered) mSUGRA point: $m_0 = 170\,\mathrm{GeV}$, $m_{1/2} = ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
Link between Earth and Mars
I am trying to the calculate the link budget for link between a ground station on Earth (with a particular latitude and longitude) and a rover at a particular location on the surface of Mars, either ...
3
votes
1answer
538 views
What software programs are used to draw Mechanics, Electricity & Magnetism, Waves, Thermodynamics, Optics & Modern Physics diagrams?
For training students in competitive exams & physics olympiads, I want to illustrate deeper meanings in problem solving through diagrams.
I have my teaching material hand drawn in OneNote. I want ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
How to determine predicted CP violation for a given SUSY point?
I'm currently studying at the spectra of some supersymmetric models, and would like to know whether the parameter points I'm looking at are ruled out due to excessive CP violation.
I am using SPheno, ...
3
votes
1answer
18 views
Code to sample from & integrate light of a cluster?
Are there any publicly available codes to sample from an initial mass function (common ones... Kroupa, Chabrier, Salpeter) to construct a cluster, then use stellar models to generate an integrated ...
3
votes
1answer
49 views
What is the format for “local catalog” files used by JSkyCat?
I am trying to use JSkyCat to mark a set of coordinates on a FITS image, and have found the dialog for choosing a catalog file to load. However, I am having trouble finding any documentation on what ...
3
votes
0answers
60 views
Final-state baryons in $p \bar p$ collisions in Pythia
I'm trying to simulate inclusive $\chi_c$ production in $p \bar p$ collisions at very low energies (~ 5.5 GeV) using Pythia8 event generator. Leaving aside problems bounded with applicability of ...
3
votes
2answers
229 views
Crystal visualization software for visualizing lattice with reciprocal vectors drawn in same image [closed]
I'm looking for a free crystal visualization program, preferably for Linux, that can visualize the common lattice structures in 3D interactively (rotatable with mouse) and draw in the same picture the ...
2
votes
3answers
78 views
Statistics software for basic undergrad lab
I'll have to perform some simple experiments, like measuring the period and damping of a pendulum, focal length of a lens, …
As a result I will end up with some X, Y data points and need to calculate ...
2
votes
1answer
294 views
Software to calculate forces between magnets
I am working on a complex configuration of magnets and every time I make an experiment something unforseen happens. Now I believe I could speed up the development by sitting down and calculating the ...
2
votes
1answer
8 views
What is the current evaluation of a sky map application for mobile devices?
Which sky map application for mobile devices have the best "feature satisfaction"-to-investment ratio?
I would like to have a comparison between "sky map" applications for mobile devices and it ...
2
votes
1answer
250 views
Implementing simple atom model using density functional theory (DFT)
I am trying to write computer code which will find the energy and density function for a atom with Z protons and N electrons. I am working in 1D for simplicity and would like to make the overall code ...
2
votes
1answer
330 views
How can I subtract Spectra?
I am writing an application that should allow to view and manipulate spectra (Raman).
I am only given one normal spectrum consisting of 1024 coordinate points. Plus I have a background spectrum that ...
2
votes
3answers
547 views
Statics software for structural engineering
I'm attempting to expand my knowledge of engineering software. I've found comsol and ansys for acoustics and thermodynamics/fluid dynamics (not necessarily in that order), now I'd like to see if I can ...
2
votes
2answers
778 views
Software to simulate and visualize atoms?
Not sure if this is a physics or chemistry question. But if the motion of atoms and it's particles can be described by quantum mechanics, then is there a software that simulate full atoms and it's ...
2
votes
1answer
452 views
Software for simulating supersonic aerodynamics [closed]
Could you please suggest the software, where I can load my 3D model and see how it behave on various conditions (speed - preferably including supersonic, temperature, pressure)?
Both free & ...
2
votes
1answer
331 views
What is the best tool for simulating Vacuum and Fluids together?
I require a software to simulate Fluid simulation with the capability of supporting vacuum simulation. My requirements are that all numbers must reflect their real counterparts almost exactly. For ...
2
votes
1answer
60 views
Sky projections in sky view software
I'm playing with an idea of making a little program to draw the sky. Nothing fancy, just for fun. And I'm reading about projections.
Now I know that I must use different projections depending on my ...
2
votes
1answer
83 views
Program for radiation and toxic hazards
I worked in my masters thesis with $^{87}Rb$ and $^{40}K$, really small beta emitters. But there are so many other things around in the lab, that I want to keep track on all the things I might get in ...
2
votes
1answer
581 views
Simulating Gravity in 3D Game?
Alright, I am writing a space simulator for a 3D game and I would like to implement gravity of objects into it.
Is there a nice way to find a velocity vector which can be added to my engine output ...
2
votes
1answer
174 views
Symbolic tool for doing 2nd quantization operator calculations
I think everyone who has attended a lecture introducing second quantization appreciates what a pain it can be to compute expressions involving commutators or anticommutators with lots of operators.
...
