Physics 329: Introduction to Computational Physics: Suggested Term Projects
Note that all term projects must be approved by the instructor.
Term project outlines are due Oct 30 and the projects
themselves are due Dec 6 (last class day). Contact the
instructor for more details concerning any of the topics listed
below.
Charges on a Sphere
Simulate the dynamics of n identically charged particles confined
to move on the surface of the sphere. Incorporate dissipation
so that the charges eventually come to rest in an equilibrium
configuration. Determine and describe the equilibrium configuration(s)
for interesting values of n.
The Game of Life
Write a simulation of the Game of Life, a two-dimensional cellular
automaton.
Solitons
Solve a non-linear wave-equation which admits solitonic solutions
using finite-difference techniques. Study the propagation
of single solitons as well as the interaction of two or more
solitons. Reference: Solitons and Nonlinear Wave Equations:
Dodd, Eilbeck, Gibbon and Morris. (QC 20.7 N6 S64 --- PMA library)
Schrodinger Equation
Write a program to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation
in one-space dimension for an arbitrary potential V(x).
Chaos
Simulate and study the behaviour of one or more low-dimensional systems
which exhibit chaos: examples include the Lorenz model or the billiard
problem.
The Rings of Saturn
Write a program to study the dynamics of a large number of test particles
in orbit about a massive body. Study various resonance phenomena
and, possibly, investigate the effect of satellites with sufficient
mass to impact the dynamics of the test particles.
Traffic Simulation using Cellular Automata
Use a cellular automata model to simulate multi-lane traffic
flow.
Moon Landing
Design and implement a simulation of a rocket ship with a main booster
and attitude control rockets. Implement an interactive interface
to allow a user to attempt to land the rocket ship on the surface
on a planet.
2D Ising Model
Write a Monte-Carlo algorithm to simulate the two-dimensional
Ising model with external parameters T (temperature) and H
(magnetic field). Use your algorithm to study the
phase-space structure of the model.
Investigate the nature of your results as a function of lattice
size.
Dissipative Gas Simulation
Simulate the dynamics of a collection of hard spheres which
dissipate some fraction of their kinetic energy when they
collide. Work in two-dimensions and determine typical long-term
behaviour of the system for a range of dissipation parameter.
Neural Networks
Quantum Computation
Write an essay on the nascent field of quantum computation.