"Simple" 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator, source code and docs

In summary, the speaker's main pet project is entering maintenance mode as it fulfills all current needs. The project is a concise and easy-to-understand simulation source, implemented in a unique way and not published elsewhere. It works for both particle and light orbits and has an initial conditions generator. To run it, a Linux box or virtual machine is needed, along with familiarity with executing shell scripts. Dependencies and example commands are listed in the project's README. The project is BSD licensed and there is also a technical note explaining its inner workings. Recently, the speaker has added the cosmological constant to the simulator in the development branch, which now primarily uses Vala but also includes a Python port. The equations used are from a specific paper.
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m4r35n357
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Looks like my main pet GR project is about to enter something akin to maintenance mode, since it now does all I currently need it to.

It's nothing earth-shattering at first glance, but is very concise (e.g. ~100 lines of Python for the simulator script) and should be easier to understand than most simulation sources that I have seen ;) I can't really give any visuals here, but I think the way it is implemented is seriously neat, and not published anywhere as far as I know.

It works for particle and light orbits (spherical and "spherical shell", including polar), and even has an initial conditions generator script. To run it you will need a Linux box (tested on Debian Wheezy & Ubuntu Trusty) or virtual machine (VirtualBox works), and also need to be used to executing shell scripts. The README in the project lists dependencies and some example commands to get you started.

Here is the project (this one is BSD licenced), and here is a little paper/technical note that I knocked up to try to explain what's going on under the covers. Hope someone out there finds it useful . . .
 
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UPDATED - NEW LINKS

  • I've now added the cosmological constant to my simulator (dev branch recommended).
  • The primary language of the simulator is now Vala, but I have included a Python port of the RK4 version.
  • Equations are taken from this paper.
 

1. What is a "Simple" 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator?

A "Simple" 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator is a computer program that models and simulates the motion of particles in a four-dimensional space-time, using the Kerr metric which describes the gravitational field around a rotating massive object.

2. What is the purpose of a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator?

The purpose of a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator is to help scientists and researchers better understand the behavior of particles in the presence of a rotating massive object, such as a black hole. It can also be used to test and validate theories related to gravity and general relativity.

3. What is the source code for a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator?

The source code for a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator is the set of instructions and commands that make up the program. It is written in a programming language, such as Java or Python, and is used to create the simulator and its functionalities.

4. What is the purpose of providing documentation for a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator?

The purpose of providing documentation for a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator is to explain how the simulator works, what inputs it requires, and how to interpret its outputs. It also provides information on the underlying physics principles and assumptions used in the simulator.

5. Can non-scientists use a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator?

Yes, non-scientists can use a 4D Kerr Geodesics simulator as long as they have a basic understanding of the underlying physics and mathematics. The simulator can be a valuable tool for educational purposes and for visualizing complex concepts in general relativity.

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