MPTRAC vs myPhysicsLab
MPTRAC
slcs-jsc.github.iomyPhysicsLab
myphysicslab.comSide by side
| Figure | MPTRAC | myPhysicsLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.7 (#7) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Authoring tools | No | Yes |
| Data export | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | hybrid | hybrid |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Jülich Supercomputing Centre, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Integrations | The documentation describes visualization interfaces for Gnuplot and ParaView and output formats that support integration with the CLaMS model. | The maker documents sharing simulation URLs by email and customizing simulations with JavaScript; it does not list third-party integrations on the pages reviewed. |
| Lesson library | No | Yes |
| License | The repository states that MPTRAC is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. | The software is open source under the Apache 2.0 License, and its source code is available on GitHub. |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | MPTRAC is a Lagrangian particle dispersion model for analyzing atmospheric transport in the free troposphere and stratosphere. | myPhysicsLab provides interactive, real-time animated physics simulations that users can change by dragging objects and adjusting parameters. |
| Support | The project directs questions, support, and collaboration inquiries to Dr. Lars Hoffmann at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre. | The author identifies himself as Erik Neumann and provides an email address on the home page; no support plan is listed there. |
| 3D visuals | Yes | No |
Plans
In their own words
MPTRAC
MPTRAC is a Lagrangian particle dispersion model for studying atmospheric transport in the free troposphere and stratosphere. It calculates forward and backward air-parcel trajectories from meteorological wind fields, with stochastic diffusion, subgrid wind variation and mixing between parcels. Optional process parameterizations cover convection, sedimentation, decay, gas-phase and aqueous-phase chemistry, and wet and dry deposition. Listed research applications include long-range pollutant transport, volcanic ash dispersion, tracer experiments and atmospheric chemistry.
The browser-based Web Runner can configure, run and visualize simulations, then download results without local installation. It is limited to 10,000 air parcels, 30 days and 10 minutes of model runtime. The model needs meteorological input, normally netCDF files on a regular pressure, longitude and latitude grid. MPTRAC supports hybrid MPI, OpenMP and OpenACC parallelization, and offers visualization interfaces for Gnuplot and ParaView. It is GPL-3.0 software for Linux, self-hosted and web use; listed pricing includes free.
myPhysicsLab
myPhysicsLab is a free, open-source project with interactive physics simulations and JavaScript classes for building animated models. Simulations run in real time, and users can drag objects or change parameters such as gravity. Its library includes examples such as pendulums, springs, colliding blocks, roller coasters, billiards, and molecular models. Many simulation pages explain the mathematics behind the models. Users can customize simulations with EasyScript or JavaScript in a browser and text editor, then share a setup through a URL that embeds EasyScript. Numeric results can be retrieved through VarsHistory, JavaScript, or collision-data scripts. Downloadable versions can be used offline. The source code is available on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 License. The simulations do not specify measurement units, so values need to be used consistently within each model. Building from source requires TypeScript, esbuild, Perl, and GNU Make. The project began in 2001, and its maker is based in Seattle, Washington.