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Monte Carlo simulation of the XY model
A continuous-spin lattice model with topological defects. The panel on the right keeps the simulation controls consistent with the rest of the demo collection.
Display
Show vortices
Color animation
Explanation
Each cell represents a planar spin. The color encodes its orientation, so smooth regions and sudden angular twists can be recognized at a glance.
The simulation uses periodic boundary conditions on a (100 x 100) lattice with zero field. Use the slider to change temperature, switch between update algorithms, and inspect how vortices appear and annihilate.
The color animation only rotates the color map; it does not rotate the spins themselves. This makes long-lived vortices and the different relaxation speeds of local and cluster updates easier to compare.