Alexander K. Hartmann – författare

Many physicists are not aware of the fact that they can solve their problems by applying optimization algorithms. Since the number of such algorithms is steadily increasing, many new algorithms have not been presented comprehensively until now. This presentation of recently developed algorithms applied in physics, including demonstrations of how they work and related results, aims to encourage their application, and as such the algorithms selected cover concepts and methods from statistical physics to optimization problems emerging in theoretical computer science.

A concise, comprehensive introduction to the topic of statistical physics of combinatorial optimization, bringing together theoretical concepts and algorithms from computer science with analytical methods from physics. The result bridges the gap between statistical physics and combinatorial optimization, investigating problems taken from theoretical computing, such as the vertex-cover problem, with the concepts and methods of theoretical physics. The authors cover rapid developments and analytical methods that are both extremely complex and spread by word-of-mouth, providing all the necessary basics in required detail. Throughout, the algorithms are shown with examples and calculations, while the proofs are given in a way suitable for graduate students, post-docs, and researchers. Ideal for newcomers to this young, multidisciplinary field.

This book presents all the computational techniques and tools needed to start doing scientific research using computer simulations. After working through this book, the reader will possess the necessary basic background knowledge, from program design, programming in C, fundamental algorithms and data structures, random numbers, and debugging, all the way to data analysis, presentation and publishing. In each of these fields, no preliminary knowledge is assumed. The reader will be equipped to successfully perform complete projects from the first idea until the final publication. All techniques are explained using many examples in C; these C codes, as well as the solutions to exercises, are readily available in the accompanying CD-ROM.The techniques in this book are independent of the fields of research, and hence they are suitable for conducting research projects in physics, chemistry, computer science, biology and engineering. This also means that no problem-dependent algorithms are introduced; therefore, this book does NOT explain molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo, finite elements and other special-purpose techniques, which would be beyond the scope of a general-purpose book.There has been no similar comprehensive book written so far. Currently, one needs many different books to learn all the necessary elements. With this book, however, one basically needs only a second book on field-specific algorithms in order to be fully equipped to perform computer simulations research.

This book teaches you all necessary (problem-independent) tools and techniques needed to implement and perform sophisticated scientific numerical simulations. Thus, it is suited for undergraduate and graduate students who want to become experts in computer simulations in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Computer Science and other fields.

This book teaches you all necessary (problem-independent) tools and techniques needed to implement and perform sophisticated scientific numerical simulations. Thus, it is suited for undergraduate and graduate students who want to become experts in computer simulations in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Computer Science and other fields.