Topic Topic Why should historians of science/STS Why should - PDF document

12/10/2009 Topic Topic  Why should historians of science/STS Why should historians of science/STS  Knowing Numbers: How Knowing Numbers: How people should care about mathematical people should care about mathematical Numerical Software Libraries Numerical Software Libraries software libraries? software libraries?  What are mathematical software libraries? What are mathematical software libraries? Changed Scientific Practice Changed Scientific Practice g  Why were they important Wh Wh Why were they important th th i i t t t t  Relationship to well known concepts in STS Relationship to well known concepts in STS Thomas Haigh, Thomas Haigh,  Black box Black box U. of Wisconsin – U. of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Milwaukee  Immutable mobiles (Latour) Immutable mobiles (Latour) & The Haigh Group & The Haigh Group  Questions raised for broader areas of science Questions raised for broader areas of science practice practice 4S Meeting 2007, Montreal 4S Meeting 2007, Montreal Project Project Scientific Computing Scientific Computing  Original function of early machines Original function of early machines  History of mathematical software History of mathematical software  Harvard Mark I, ENIAC Harvard Mark I, ENIAC  Consultant for Society for Industrial & Applied Consultant for Society for Industrial & Applied  Source of the term “computer” Source of the term “computer” Mathematics on DOE supported project Mathematics on DOE supported project  Many applications are concerned with modeling Many applications are concerned with modeling  23 career oral history interviews 23 career oral history interviews natural or man made systems natural or man made systems natural or man made systems natural or man made systems  Several accompanying articles S S Several accompanying articles l l i i ti l ti l  Hydrogen bomb physics Hydrogen bomb physics  Materials at history.siam.org Materials at history.siam.org  Fluid Dynamics of air for aerospace Fluid Dynamics of air for aerospace  Rather internalist Rather internalist  Celestial mechanics for space navigation Celestial mechanics for space navigation  Talk is initial attempt to explore issues of Talk is initial attempt to explore issues of  Require creating systems of equations and Require creating systems of equations and producing answers producing answers broader interest stemming from topic broader interest stemming from topic  Usually by numerical approximation methods Usually by numerical approximation methods Mathematical Libraries Mathematical Libraries Early Needs Early Needs  Produced internally Produced internally  Initially: very basic assembly language Initially: very basic assembly language within computer within computer subroutines subroutines centers centers  Multiplication, square root, binary to decimal, floating Multiplication, square root, binary to decimal, floating  First example for First example for point simulation, etc. point simulation, etc. EDSAC circa 1950 EDSAC circa 1950  FORTRAN (1956) covers basics, but plenty of FORTRAN (1956) covers basics, but plenty of ( ( ) ) , , p p y y  Invented along with Invented along with I I t d t d l l ith ith challenges left challenges left subroutine subroutine  Discussed in 1951 Discussed in 1951  Each computer center is likely to need routines for Each computer center is likely to need routines for programming text programming text  Linear algebra and matrix manipulation Linear algebra and matrix manipulation  Included Runge Included Runge- -Kutta Kutta  Ordinary and Partial Differential Equation solvers Ordinary and Partial Differential Equation solvers differential equation differential equation  Special and Elementary functions Special and Elementary functions routine routine  Curve fitting and least squares Curve fitting and least squares  Routines stored on 5 Routines stored on 5  Fast Fourier Transformation Fast Fourier Transformation track paper tape track paper tape 1