README for CSCI-E236 final project

Russell Lowke May 25th 2005

______

Computer visualizations have been made of the predicted motion of a 
"prospective planet" ejected from the surface of the sun under the
influence of gravitational, electrostatic and magnetic forces. In general, 
such a planet ends up falling back into the sun. However, if a planet 
is ejected at the suns equator, it is possible to obtain an circular orbit
like path around the sun for a particular value of the sun's magnetic field.


Conversion from Fortran 77 to C++ of the Solar code to predict planet locations 
was problematic due to Fortran's implementation of arrays. To solve this I utilized 
a handy Matrix template I had built last semester.[see Solar(C++)/main.cpp]

Converting from Fortran 77 to TCL was even more arduous due to both
the array problem and the fact that TCL has no goto statement.  All goto
statements had to be removed. I first removed the gotos in C++ 
[see Solar(C++)/main.cpp/main(sansGotos).cpp] and then converted to TCL

The visualizations have been done using TCL and are in the Solar(TCL)
folder, I have labeled them "a" through "j"  There are two main forms, "rake" 
and "anim," the rake form being the more intricate.  I will discuss
these visualizations in detail tonight for my final presentation.



Russell