Course title:
Introduction to Scientific ComputingCourse number: EART 119
Instructor: Gary A Glatzmaier
Text: "Practical IDL Programming" by Liam E Gumley, Chapters 1-7
Course description:
This is an introduction to solving scientific problems using computers. Students learn the basics of the Unix operating system, the Emacs editor, and a user-friendly scientific programming language called IDL (Interactive Data Language). All class sessions are held in a computing lab where each student uses a computer workstation to work through the examples presented in class and to work on assignments. The students learn how to produce computer simulations of two-dimensional time-dependent problems in Earth sciences and astronomy and to display the numerical solutions as movies.
Topics:
Weeks 1-4: Learning how to use a computer
- UNIX operating system
- EMACS text editor
- IDL programming language
- Mid-term exam
Weeks 5-6: Heat transfer problems
Weeks 7-8: Fluid flow problems
Weeks 9-10: Orbital dynamics problems