Python Christoffel Symbols Calculator (PyCSC)

All rights reserved 2024-25.

This package is actively under development

This Python package is for calculating Christoffel Symbols and tensors (i.e., Riemann Tensor, Ricci Tensor, etcetera) that are helpful in doing gravitational and relativistic astrophysics. With time, the package is expected to mature, both in terms of efficiency and functionality.

Table of Contents

1. Installation
2. This package comes with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) Christoffel Symbols Calculator frontend repository.
3. Known issues
4. Roadmap
5. Questions, Issues, Suggestions, and Other Feedback

Installation

• Option 1 (Pip install)

pip install git+https://github.com/Christoffel-Symbols/Christoffel-Symbols-Calculator.git

• Option 2 (Clone the repository)

git clone https://github.com/Christoffel-Symbols/Christoffel-Symbols-Calculator.git

After cloning the repository, run the following command in the Christoffel-Symbols-Calculator folder

pip install .

or

python setup.py install

Known Issues

• Ricci tensor calculated from first kind Riemann Tensor doesn't worl - this prevents the software from exploiting known tensor symmetries.

Roadmap

Here are some future plans for the Christoffel Symbols Calculator:

• Need to develop a parser that can render pythonnic mathematical expression to latex in real-time. This, in part, can be achieved using shunting yard algorithm.
• Develop python app further by including Weyl Tensor, Electromagnetic Tensor and visualization of geodesics, and etcetera.
• Integrate Flask caching depending (maybe on redis) on how popular the app gets.
• Add covariant and contravariant bifurcation option for each tensor.
• Exploiting tensor symmetries to decrease calculation time and increase app efficiency

Questions

If you have any feedback, suggestions, or new ideas on how to improve the software, plaese feel free to reach out to me through email ([email protected]) or the discussion page.