Command line Spherical Explorer

Python version (2026)

The on-line Spherical Explorer is a Python port of the original Perl program, and the same Python code runs on your own computer. It needs Python 3 and nothing else. Download the files of the package sphexplorer into a directory called sphexplorer: __init__.py, __main__.py, cli.py, web.py, spherical.py, rootsystem.py, perlval.py, examples.py. For example:

mkdir sphexplorer
cd sphexplorer
for f in __init__ __main__ cli web spherical rootsystem perlval examples; do
  curl -O https://www.liegroups.org/dissemination/spherical/explorer/py/sphexplorer/$f.py
done
cd ..

Then, in the directory containing sphexplorer:

python3 -m sphexplorer -h                  # help
python3 -m sphexplorer -t C                # enter lambda's at the prompt
python3 -m sphexplorer -t B -f points.txt  # test every lambda in a file
python3 -m sphexplorer -t C -c bourbaki    # lambda in fundamental weight coordinates
python3 -m sphexplorer --unipotent C 4     # all unipotent parameters
python3 -m sphexplorer --roots E 8         # root system data
python3 -m sphexplorer --examples          # the built-in examples

Perl version

This is a perl program to test spherical representations of Sp(2n) for unitarity. Implements Barbasch’s algorithm. It will test individual points from the command line, or a set of points from a file: Command Line Spherical Explorer (sph.pl).

To use this program download it to your computer (using right mouse click). Make it executable (chmod u+x sph.pl). Give the command sph.pl. For help do sph.pl -h. There are a few more tips at the top of the file itself. It requires the Perl module Math::Fraction.