[MODEST] MODEST-6d workshop in Amsterdam, March 2006

[Simon Portegies Zwart]

Dear MODEST Astronomer,

During the last MODEST-6a satellite meeting in Lund (Sweden) we
decided to have a two day workshop on the development of interfaces
for MODEST frameworks.  One of the many highlights of MODEST-6a was a
discussion about software frameworks, centered around the question of
interoperability of software tools.  It is a pleasure to invite you to
participate in the MODEST-6d framework workshop, which will be held on
Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 March 2006 in Amsterdam (Astronomical
Institute 'Anton Pannekoek', Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, the
Netherlands).
The URL can be found at:
http://www.manybody.org/modest.html
or directly at:
http://modesta.science.uva.nl/modest/modest6d/

During the two day MODEST-6d framework-workshop we plan to discuss the
software tools needed to further perfectionize our ability to simulate
dense stellar systems. In particular we will discuss the interfaces
between the various software environments, protocols and call
sequences in order to make a hybrid environment
operational. Since MODEST-1 a rudimentary interface between stellar
evolution and stellar dynamics has been set out, but in practice it is
still hard to really couple various codes to a working machinery. We
want to discuss a simple toolbox interface with stubs for the various
physical ingredients coupled together to a working entity with an
operational interface. Participants are therefore requested to supply
a rudimentary 'toy' code (stub) which could be used as an example in
the interface structure. During the workshop we will then further
integrate all collected stubs in a working environment with
rudimentary stellar evolution, rudimentary smoothed particles
hydrodynamics and rudimentary stellar dynamics. Once this is all in
place we have a framework to which future developers can comply in
order to interface with the other codes. Though ambitious, we think
that such approach is realizable in a two day micro workshop.

What we want:      Your participation if you are interested in interfacing
                   your production code to a larger MODEST software
                   environment.

How to prepare:    Construct a 'toy' code which mirrors your preferred
                   interface for connecting other codes, but which is
                   simple enough to fit on one printed page.
		   An example stub will be available shortly on the
		   workshop's web page.

Email discussion:  If you have not yet subscribed to the discussion
                   forum on interfacing stellar software, you may want
		   to consider doing this at:
		   http://www.srcf.ucam.org/mailman/listinfo/stellar-discuss

What you get back: Your 'toy' code will be implemented in the MODEST
                   environment with a transparent interface between
                   the other MODEST domains.

How to participate: Send an email to: modesta at science.uva.nl or to
                                          spz at science.uva.nl

Sincerely yours,
Simon Portegies Zwart

P.S. Note that during the framework meeting and for the month
     following, several researchers of the MODEST community will stay
     in Amsterdam to continue to discuss MODEST topics.

--
Astronomical Institute 'Anton Pannekoek' and Section Computational Science
University of Amsterdam                      Email: spz at science.uva.nl
Kruislaan 403, 1098SJ Amsterdam              Tel:   +31-20-5257510
the Netherlands                              Fax:   +31-20-5257484