Computing and Numerical Methods



Computing and Numerical Methods

This is a list of relevant links and resources for part of the teaching in the
Computing and Numerical Methods module in the Erasmus Mundus MSc in Nuclear Physics.

1 Virtual Machine GNU/Linux (Mint distribution)

  • The first step is to install VirtualBox.
    This package can be downloaded in
    https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads. Choose the file in accordance with
    your operating system, download also the extension pack -same file for all
    operating systems- in the link: vbox-extpack. Install VirtualBox and the
    extension package. You can find in this link a video showing how to install the extension package.
  • You can now download the virtual machine in this link NucPhys-Mint-CompNum.ova
  • Load the virtual machine into your VirtualBox using File -> Import Appliance
  • The default username is nucphys with an identical password. You are advised
    to change the password to a new one, try to choose a password that you would
    not forget.
  • Depending on your previous experience with GNU/Linux, you can find useful this FossWire GNU/Linux-UNIX refcard

2 Git Lessons

We will explain a basic introduction to the git version control system. Some
links of interest are:

  • Git slides: you can download them in this link git slides
  • GitLab Git cheatsheet: it can be downloaded in this link this link
  • A rather complete reference: ProGit Book

3 Python Lessons

You can find all lessons -still working on them, expect changes- in this link
python notes gitbook. The notes start explaining how to install Anaconda in a
GNU/Linux system and we have split the contents in six lessons. Each lesson
has several exercises.

There is some supplementary material needed for some of the lessons:

In order to be able to export as pdf your notebooks you need to install several
packages not selected by default in the virtual machine. Use the command: sudo apt install texlive-xetex texlive-fonts-recommended.

4 Possible Final Projects

We provide here examples of final projects for the module. They should serve of
inspiration for students looking for their own project.

  1. Solving a Quartic Oscillator using a Harmonic Oscillator Basis
  2. Volatility Distribution in S\&P 500 Price Fluctuations
  3. Conway’s Life Game
  4. Lorenz’s strange attractor

Author: Curro Perez-Bernal

Created: 2020-12-19 Sat 01:23

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