2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/11832The subjects and key questions faced by computational astrophysics using N-body simulations are discussed in the fields of globular star cluster dynamics, galactic nuclei and cosmological structure formation. After a comparison of the relevance of different N-body algorithms a new concept for a more flexible customized special purpose computer based on a combination of GRAPE and FPGA is proposed. It is an ideal machine for all kinds of N-body simulations using neighbour schemes, as the Ahmad-Cohen direct N-body codes and smoothed particle hydrodynamics for systems including gas.10 pages, 1 figure, postscript, to appear in T. Ebisuzaki, ed, Proc. Int. Symp. on Supercomputing - New Horizon of Computational Science, Tokyo, Japan, 1-3 September, 1997. Kluwer, DordrechtAstrophysicstext