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Living Reviews in Relativity: "Computer algebra in gravity research"

Journal cover: Living Reviews in RelativityMacCallum, M.A.H., "Computer algebra in gravity research", Living Rev Relativ (2018) 21: 6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41114-018-0015-6

Open Access | Review Article

First Online: 20 August 2018

Abstract:

The complicated nature of calculations in general relativity was one of the driving forces in the early development of computer algebra (CA). CA has become widely used in gravity research (GR) and its use can be expected to grow further. Here the general nature of computer algebra is discussed, along with some aspects of CA system design; features particular to GR’s requirements are considered; information on packages for CA in GR is provided, both for those packages currently available and for their predecessors; and applications of CA in GR are outlined.

The Author:

Malcolm A.H. MacCallum is Emeritus Professor of Applied Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London. His research interests cover most aspects of classical non-Newtonian gravity theory, and computer algebra applied to differential equations. 

He is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal General Relativity and Gravitation.