Experiment and Theory Have a New Partner: Simulation

摘要

Even before Lawrence Livermore opened in September 1952, cofounders E. O. Lawrence and Edward Teller recognized the need for a computer and placed an order for one of the first production Univacs. Equipped with 5,600 vacuum tubes, the Univac had impressive calculational power for its time, although much less than that contained in today's $5 calculator. Computing machines quickly demonstrated to the Livermore staff the ability not only to perform complicated calculations but also to simulate physical processes.