Waterwheel
Waterwheel is a peaceful visualization of the Lorenz attractor intended for meditation or reflection. It simulates a nighttime scene where a milky-white substance drives a Waterwheel eternally.
The Lorenz attractor is a mathematical object discovered in 1963 by Edward Lorenz, while studying global weather patterns. Although governed by only three simple formulas, it is impossible to predict the behaviour of the Lorenz attractor. Instead, its precise outcome can only be observed and measured, much like a living thing. The Lorenz attractor led to a breakthrough understanding of not only weather systems but certain mathematical and physical systems in general, and ultimately gave birth to Chaos Theory.
The rules that govern a Lorenz attractor, in fact, turn out to also govern the type of Waterwheel that is simulated here. An unending stream of water or, here, luminescent milk flows into a wheel with buckets attached, which in turn drain out at a constant rate. What is surprising is that with enough flow, such a wheel can actually reverse direction unpredictably, as you will see.
Touch the title screen to start. Touch the screen to move the flow of water, but actually you may find it most effective to simply leave the flow on-center, which allows the Waterwheel to most unpredictably.
Finally, the "phase space" of the lorenz attractor itself is played out in the flight path of two fireflies. These appear at first to be just one, but in fact will diverge over time. Their patterns are completely determined mathematically by three numbers. When Waterwheel first starts, these numbers are only about 1 millionth different from each other, and so both appear to proceed along the same line. However, eventually chaos takes ahold and they diverge, tracing out a lovely dance of light for you.
Please enjoy this sincere offering from me to you. For more information you may visit my website at http://kittylambda.com.
Calvin French
[email protected]
App Name:Waterwheel
App Version:1.0.3
App Size:638 KB
Cost:FREE