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Re: gsl_rand_dir_3d
On Mon, Aug 04, 2003 at 04:00:17PM -0400, Stuart O Anderson wrote:
> Thanks for the suggestion, personally I went the easy route and just
> extended the 2D non-trig algorithm to 3D, although your method is more
> elegant.
Except if you actually want a unit vector in rectangular
coordinates. Then you would have to do a few more trig functions.
x = r sin(theta) cos(phi)
y = r sin(theta) sin(phi)
z = r cos(theta)
> > dA = sin(theta) dtheta dphi
> dA = r sin(theta) dtheta r dphi (but then we're talking about unit
> spheres, so it doesn't really matter.)
Oh yeah, that's right. I guess I quoted the differential element
for solid angles.
--
Jeff Spirko spirko@lehigh.edu spirko@yahoo.com WD3V |=>
The study of non-linear physics is like the study of non-elephant biology.
All theoretical chemistry is really physics;
and all theoretical chemists know it. -- Richard P. Feynman