INCYLINDER
This is part of the volumes module

This quantity can be used to calculate functions of the distribution of collective variables for the atoms that lie in a particular, user-specified part of of the cell.

Each of the base quantities calculated by a multicolvar can can be assigned to a particular point in three dimensional space. For example, if we have the coordination numbers for all the atoms in the system each coordination number can be assumed to lie on the position of the central atom. Because each base quantity can be assigned to a particular point in space we can calculate functions of the distribution of base quantities in a particular part of the box by using:

\[ \overline{s}_{\tau} = \frac{ \sum_i f(s_i) \sigma(r_{xy}) }{ \sum_i \sigma(r_{xy}) } \]

where the sum is over the collective variables, \(s_i\), each of which can be thought to be at \( (x_i,y_i,z_i)\). The function \(\sigma\) is a switchingfunction that acts on the distance between the point at which the collective is located \((x_i,y_i,z_i)\) and the position of the atom that was specified using the ORIGIN keyword projected in the xy plane if DIRECTION=z is used. In other words:

\[ r_{xy} = sqrt{ ( x_i - x_0)^2 + ( y_i - y_0)^2 } \]

In short this function, \(\sigma(r_{xy})\), measures whether or not the CV is within a cylinder that runs along the axis specified using the DIRECTION keyword and that is centered on the position of the atom specified using ORIGIN.

The function \((s_i)\) can be any of the usual LESS_THAN, MORE_THAN, WITHIN etc that are used in all other multicolvars.

When INCYLINDER is used with the DENSITY action the number of atoms in the specified region is calculated

Examples

The input below can be use to calculate the average coordination numbers for those atoms that are within a cylindrical tube of radius 1.5 nm that is centered on the position of atom 101 and that has its long axis parallel to the z-axis.

Click on the labels of the actions for more information on what each action computes
tested on master
c1: COORDINATIONNUMBER 
SPECIES
this keyword is used for colvars such as coordination number.
=1-100
SWITCH
the switching function that it used in the construction of the contact matrix
={RATIONAL R_0=0.1} d2: INCYLINDER
ATOM
could not find this keyword
=101
DATA
the label of an action that calculates multicolvars.
=c1
DIRECTION
compulsory keyword the direction of the long axis of the cylinder.
=Z
RADIUS
compulsory keyword a switching function that gives the extent of the cylinder in the plane perpendicular to the direction
={TANH R_0=1.5}
SIGMA
the width of the function to be used for kernel density estimation
=0.1
LOWER
compulsory keyword ( default=0.0 ) the lower boundary on the direction parallel to the long axis of the cylinder
=-0.1
UPPER
compulsory keyword ( default=0.0 ) the upper boundary on the direction parallel to the long axis of the cylinder
=0.1
MEAN
( default=off ) calculate the average value of the colvar inside the region of interest
PRINT
ARG
the input for this action is the scalar output from one or more other actions.
=d2.*
FILE
the name of the file on which to output these quantities
=colvar
Glossary of keywords and components
Description of components

By default the value of the calculated quantity can be referenced elsewhere in the input file by using the label of the action. Alternatively this Action can be used to calculate the following quantities by employing the keywords listed below. These quantities can be referenced elsewhere in the input by using this Action's label followed by a dot and the name of the quantity required from the list below.

Quantity Keyword Description
lessthan LESS_THAN the number of cvs in the region of interest that are less than a certain threshold
morethan MORE_THAN the number of cvs in the region of interest that are more than a certain threshold
between BETWEEN the number of cvs in the region of interest that are within a certain range
sum SUM the sum of all the colvars weighted by the function that determines if we are in the region
mean MEAN the average values of the colvar in the region of interest
The atoms involved can be specified using
ATOMS the group of atoms that you would like to investigate. For more information on how to specify lists of atoms see Groups and Virtual Atoms
CENTER the atom whose vicinity we are interested in examining. For more information on how to specify lists of atoms see Groups and Virtual Atoms
Compulsory keywords
KERNEL ( default=gaussian ) the type of kernel function to be used
DIRECTION the direction of the long axis of the cylinder. Must be x, y or z
RADIUS a switching function that gives the extent of the cylinder in the plane perpendicular to the direction
LOWER ( default=0.0 ) the lower boundary on the direction parallel to the long axis of the cylinder
UPPER ( default=0.0 ) the upper boundary on the direction parallel to the long axis of the cylinder
Options
SERIAL ( default=off ) do the calculation in serial. Do not parallelize
OUTSIDE ( default=off ) calculate quantities for colvars that are on atoms outside the region of interest
SUM ( default=off ) calculate the sum of all the quantities.
MEAN

( default=off ) calculate the average value of the colvar inside the region of interest

SIGMA the width of the function to be used for kernel density estimation
DATA the label of an action that calculates multicolvars. Weighted sums based on the location of the colvars calculated by this action will be calcualted
LESS_THAN calcualte the number of colvars that are inside the region of interest and that are less than a certain threshold
MORE_THAN calcualte the number of colvars that are inside the region of interest and that are greater that a certain threshold
BETWEEN calculate the number of colvars that are inside the region of interest and that have a CV value that is between a particular set of bounds