A simple C programming exercise: implement the functions in lorenz.c!

The Lorenz system code can be run without any external dependencies, but viewing the results with the provided view.py script requires a few common packages from the scientific Python stack. The simplest way to get your own scientific Python stack working is probably to install an Anaconda distribution. It will contain all you need to run the view.py script and more.

However, two functions in lorenz.c must be implemented before the code will work. The first, initialize_system, sets initial x, y, and z values for a set of points. (Points near x,y,z = 1,1,1 make good initial values.) The second, step_system, steps each point forward by a given time step. Both functions operate in-place by modifying values in arrays for x, y, and z; importantly, however, they do so by passing the arrays as parameters, not by declaring the arrays as external (global) varibles.

After implementing the functions, the code can be compiled with the provided Makefile. In a bash-like shell and with the required scientific Python dependencies, running

you@computer:~$ make
you@computer:~$ ./lorenz
you@computer:~$ python view.py

will simulate the Lorenz system and display an animation of the results. If you re-run the simulation, be sure to remove the created lorenz_xyz.out files first. If you want additionally to remove the files created during compilation, invoke

you@computer:~$ make clean

to do so.