A Generalized Algorithm for the Gravitational Potential of a Homogeneous Cuboid
Thunendran Periyandy1,2 & Michael Bevis1 Show affiliations
- Division of Geodetic Science, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
- Faculty of Geomatics, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
Physics International, Volume 16, Issue 1, pp. 7–17 · doi.org/10.3844/pisp.2025.7.17
Abstract
This paper presents a mathematical formulation for computing the gravitational potential of a cuboid (or right rectangular prism) with uniform density. The resulting analytical expressions are valid inside, on and outside the cuboid. The methodology systematically organizes logarithmic and arctangent terms using a hexagonal graph approach, promoting numerical stability and correct sign allocation. We provide a structured pseudocode algorithm to facilitate computational implementation, and actual codes written in Python, Matlab and Julia. We also introduce a test, that we call a Laplacian test, used to validate our algorithm and codes. Keywords: Gravitational Potential, Cuboid, Hexagonal Graph, Finite Differences, Laplacian Test.
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Periyandy, T. & Bevis, M. (2025). A Generalized Algorithm for the Gravitational Potential of a Homogeneous Cuboid. Physics International, 16(1), 7–17. https://doi.org/10.3844/pisp.2025.7.17
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