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15: Visualizing Relativity
Sunday, Half Day, 1:30 - 5 pm
Room 502A
For
those who seek a deeper intuitive understanding of the
theories of relativity and an introduction to how modern
computer graphics techniques can be adapted to visualize
and simulate the physics of interacting light and matter
under extreme conditions. The first half of the course
focuses on how relativistic effects can be intuitively
understood starting from Euclidean 3D geometry. The second
half concentrates on recent advances in photorealistic
simulation of scenes and relativistic phenomena using
computer graphics to show features that could never be
seen in real life at human time and space scales.
Prerequisites
Substantial familiarity with conventional mathematical
methods of 3D computer graphics and prior exposure to
3D rendering techniques. No prior knowledge of the theories
of relativity is required. Attendees may find that some
of the material covered in Course 5 provides useful background.
Topics
A geometric, intuitive approach to special relativity.
Minkowski diagrams. How relativistic transformations are
related to familiar geometric concepts used in 3D rotations.
Properties of light under the extreme conditions of both
special and general relativity: changes of color, intensity,
and direction of light, and gravitational light bending.
Relativistic rendering techniques.
Organizers/Lecturers
Andrew Hanson
Indiana University
Daniel Weiskopf
Universität Stuttgart |
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