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[submitted] Cosmic Web Explorer
An interactive, WebGPU-accelerated simulation of Large-Scale Structure (LSS) evolution. The software utilizes a "2.5D" Universe approach, projecting a thin slice of a 3D universe onto a 2D plane, to visualize the formation of cosmic filaments and voids from z = 10 to the present via a live web interface. It combines analytical 2LPT with a local quasi-N-body gravity scheme, incorporating rigorous background expansion and structure growth for LCDM and w0-wa dark energy models. To maintain smooth interactivity with up to 200k tracers, particle interactions are computed locally and include a phenomenological adhesion model. The tool features two distinct modes: a cosmological sandbox with realistic initial conditions and an "enhanced BAO" mode designed to highlight the emergence of Baryon Acoustic Oscillation signals. Optimized for high-performance browser rendering (WebGL/WebGPU), it is designed for professional scientific presentations, classroom teaching, and public outreach.
Code site:
https://github.com/nicosmo/cosmic_web_explorer https://nicosmo.github.io/cosmic_web_explorer/ https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18915566
Preferred citation method:
Please cite this software using its ASCL record and the Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18915566. If the methodology of creating such tools is also relevant to your work, please refer to the associated paper: Schuster et al. (2026, arXiv:2603.18145).