584 Computational Methods

Tentative Syllabus

Mark Alford (Jan 26, Feb 2)

Mathematica for Statistical Mechanics of Fermions

Requirements: Before starting the class, students should

• Make sure you have easy access to Mathematica. Preferably it should be installed on your own laptop.
  • Physics graduate students: for a free Mathematica license, write to Sai Iyer giving your WUSTL email address and approximate month and year of graduation.
  • Undergraduates (and non-physics grads): buy it for $25.00 from Software Licensing. Send email to WU_SoftwareLicensing@wumail.wustl.edu giving your first and last name, Washington University email address, and how payment will be made (check or credit/debit card). Once payment has been satisfied you will receive a unique activation code.
• Reproduce all the examples in my Introduction to Mathematica
• Study (and preferably reproduce) the examples in my Mathematica Techniques
• Refresh your undergraduate statistical mechanics knowledge. Make sure you understand the following:
  • Pauli exclusion principle
  • Fermi Surface
  • Fermi-Dirac distribution

Here is the first project file containing the exercises that will be explained and started on in the first class.

Wim Dickhoff (Feb 9, 16)

• Project: diagonalization of quantum mechanical potentials.

The Schroedinger equation of Quantum Mechanics can in some cases be solved analytically for discrete eigenvalues and corresponding wave functions. This is true for potentials with spherical symmetry like the Coulomb or 3-D Harmonic Oscillator. We will extend the solution for discrete eigenvalues for bound states of potentials that do not allow an analytical solution.

Francesc Ferrer (Feb 23, Mar 2)

• Python / Matplotlib.
• Project: Monte Carlo generation of non-uniform directions on the sphere;biffurcation diagram for the tent-map.

Mike Ogilvie (Mar 16, 23)

• Python and shell
• Project: The Metropolis algorithm and data analysis

Erik Henriksen (Mar 30, Apr 6)

• Labview.
• Project: controlling a lab device, and reading data from it.

Kasey Wagoner (Apr 13, 20)

• SolidWorks
• Project: designing a 3D object.