DiRAC 2.5 Operations 2017-2020
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Physicists across the astronomy, nuclear and particle physics communities are focussed
on understanding how the Universe works at a very fundamental level. The distance scales
with which they work vary by 50 orders of magnitude from the smallest distances probed
by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, deep within the atomic
nucleus, to the largest scale galaxy clusters discovered out in space. The Science challenges,
however, are linked through questions such as: How did the Universe begin and how is it evolving?
and What are the fundamental constituents and fabric of the Universe and how do they interact?
Progress requires new astronomical observations and experimental data but also
new theoretical insights. Theoretical understanding comes increasingly from large-scale
computations that allow us to confront the consequences of our theories very accurately
with the data or allow us to interrogate the data in detail to extract information that has
impact on our theories. These computations test the fastest computers that we have and
push the boundaries of technology in this sector. They also provide an excellent
environment for training students in state-of-the-art techniques for code optimisation and
data mining and visualisation.
The DiRAC-2.5 project builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources needed
to support cutting edge research during 2017 in all areas of science supported by STFC.
In addition to the existing DiRAC-2 services, from April 2017 DiRAC-2.5 will provide:
1) A factor 2 increase in the computational power of the DiRAC supercomputer at the University of Durham, which is designed for simulations requiring large amounts of computer memory. The enhanced system will be used to:
(i) simulate the merger of pairs of black holes which generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the LIGO consortium;
(ii) perform the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe
(iii) carry out detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors.
2) A new High Performance Computer at Cambridge whose particular architecture is well suited to the theoretical
problems that we want to tackle that utilise large amounts of data, either as input or
being generated at intermediate stages of our calculations. Two key challenges
that we will tackle are those of
(i) improving our understanding of the Milky Way through analysis of new data from the European
Space Agency's GAIA satellite and
(ii) improving the potential of experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider for discovery
of new physics by increasing the accuracy of theoretical predictions for rare processes involving the
fundamental constituents of matter known as quarks.
3) An additional 3500 compute cores on the DiRAC Complexity supercomputer at Leicester which will make it possible to
carry out simulations of some of the most complex physical situation in the Universe. These include:
(i) the formation of stars in clusters - for the first time it will be possible to follow the formation of stars many times more massive than the sun;
(ii) the accretion of gas onto supermassive black holes, the most efficient means of extracting energy from matter and the engine
which drives galaxy formation and evolution.
4) A team of three research software engineers who will help DiRAC researchers to ensure their scientific codes to extract
the best possible performance from the hardware components of the DiRAC clusters. These highly skilled programmers will
increase the effective computational power of the DiRAC facility during 2017.
on understanding how the Universe works at a very fundamental level. The distance scales
with which they work vary by 50 orders of magnitude from the smallest distances probed
by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, deep within the atomic
nucleus, to the largest scale galaxy clusters discovered out in space. The Science challenges,
however, are linked through questions such as: How did the Universe begin and how is it evolving?
and What are the fundamental constituents and fabric of the Universe and how do they interact?
Progress requires new astronomical observations and experimental data but also
new theoretical insights. Theoretical understanding comes increasingly from large-scale
computations that allow us to confront the consequences of our theories very accurately
with the data or allow us to interrogate the data in detail to extract information that has
impact on our theories. These computations test the fastest computers that we have and
push the boundaries of technology in this sector. They also provide an excellent
environment for training students in state-of-the-art techniques for code optimisation and
data mining and visualisation.
The DiRAC-2.5 project builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources needed
to support cutting edge research during 2017 in all areas of science supported by STFC.
In addition to the existing DiRAC-2 services, from April 2017 DiRAC-2.5 will provide:
1) A factor 2 increase in the computational power of the DiRAC supercomputer at the University of Durham, which is designed for simulations requiring large amounts of computer memory. The enhanced system will be used to:
(i) simulate the merger of pairs of black holes which generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the LIGO consortium;
(ii) perform the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe
(iii) carry out detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors.
2) A new High Performance Computer at Cambridge whose particular architecture is well suited to the theoretical
problems that we want to tackle that utilise large amounts of data, either as input or
being generated at intermediate stages of our calculations. Two key challenges
that we will tackle are those of
(i) improving our understanding of the Milky Way through analysis of new data from the European
Space Agency's GAIA satellite and
(ii) improving the potential of experiments at CERN's Large Hadron Collider for discovery
of new physics by increasing the accuracy of theoretical predictions for rare processes involving the
fundamental constituents of matter known as quarks.
3) An additional 3500 compute cores on the DiRAC Complexity supercomputer at Leicester which will make it possible to
carry out simulations of some of the most complex physical situation in the Universe. These include:
(i) the formation of stars in clusters - for the first time it will be possible to follow the formation of stars many times more massive than the sun;
(ii) the accretion of gas onto supermassive black holes, the most efficient means of extracting energy from matter and the engine
which drives galaxy formation and evolution.
4) A team of three research software engineers who will help DiRAC researchers to ensure their scientific codes to extract
the best possible performance from the hardware components of the DiRAC clusters. These highly skilled programmers will
increase the effective computational power of the DiRAC facility during 2017.
Planned Impact
The expected impact of the DiRAC 2.5 HPC facility is fully described in the attached pathways to impact document and includes:
1) Disseminating best practice in High Performance Computing software engineering throughout the theoretical Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear physics communities in the UK as well as to industry partners.
2) Working on co-design projects with industry partners to improve future generations of hardware and software.
3) Development of new techniques in the area of High Performance Data Analytics which will benefit industry partners and researchers in other fields such as biomedicine, biology, engineering, economics and social science, and the natural environment who can use this new technology to improve research outcomes in their areas.
4) Share best practice on the design and operation of distributed HPC facilities with UK National e-Infrastructure partners.
5) Training of the next generation of research scientists of physical scientists to tackle problems effectively on state-of-the-art of High Performance Computing facilities. Such skills are much in demand from high-tech industry.
6) Engagement with the general public to promote interest in science, and to explain how our ability to solve complex problems using the latest computer technology leads to new scientific capabilities/insights. Engagement of this kind also naturally encourages the uptake of STEM subjects in schools.
1) Disseminating best practice in High Performance Computing software engineering throughout the theoretical Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear physics communities in the UK as well as to industry partners.
2) Working on co-design projects with industry partners to improve future generations of hardware and software.
3) Development of new techniques in the area of High Performance Data Analytics which will benefit industry partners and researchers in other fields such as biomedicine, biology, engineering, economics and social science, and the natural environment who can use this new technology to improve research outcomes in their areas.
4) Share best practice on the design and operation of distributed HPC facilities with UK National e-Infrastructure partners.
5) Training of the next generation of research scientists of physical scientists to tackle problems effectively on state-of-the-art of High Performance Computing facilities. Such skills are much in demand from high-tech industry.
6) Engagement with the general public to promote interest in science, and to explain how our ability to solve complex problems using the latest computer technology leads to new scientific capabilities/insights. Engagement of this kind also naturally encourages the uptake of STEM subjects in schools.
Organisations
Publications
Chawdhry H
(2021)
Two-loop leading-colour QCD helicity amplitudes for two-photon plus jet production at the LHC
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Chen S
(2019)
Quasifree Neutron Knockout from ^{54}Ca Corroborates Arising N=34 Neutron Magic Number.
in Physical review letters
Cheung G
(2021)
DK I = 0, $$ D\overline{K} $$ I = 0, 1 scattering and the $$ {D}_{s0}^{\ast } $$(2317) from lattice QCD
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Christiansen J
(2020)
Jet feedback and the photon underproduction crisis in simba
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Christie D
(2022)
The impact of phase equilibrium cloud models on GCM simulations of GJ 1214b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Christie D
(2021)
The impact of mixing treatments on cloud modelling in 3D simulations of hot Jupiters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Christie D
(2022)
CAMEMBERT: A Mini-Neptunes General Circulation Model Intercomparison, Protocol Version 1.0.A CUISINES Model Intercomparison Project
in The Planetary Science Journal
Clark V
(2020)
The high-temperature rotation-vibration spectrum and rotational clustering of silylene (SiH2)
in Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer
Clark VHJ
(2021)
Modelling the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium spectra of silylene (SiH2).
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Clarke C
(2020)
Forbidden line diagnostics of photoevaporative disc winds
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Clarke P
(2021)
Probing inflation with precision bispectra
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Clough K
(2021)
Continuity equations for general matter: applications in numerical relativity
in Classical and Quantum Gravity
Coates L
(2021)
Observing relativistic features in large-scale structure surveys - II. Doppler magnification in an ensemble of relativistic simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coleman G
(2024)
Photoevaporation obfuscates the distinction between wind and viscous angular momentum transport in protoplanetary discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coleman G
(2022)
Dusty circumbinary discs: inner cavity structures and stopping locations of migrating planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coleman G
(2023)
Global N -body simulations of circumbinary planet formation around Kepler-16 and -34 analogues I: Exploring the pebble accretion scenario
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coleman G
(2024)
Constraining the formation history of the TOI-1338/BEBOP-1 circumbinary planetary system
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coles P
(2019)
ExoMol molecular line lists - XXXV. A rotation-vibration line list for hot ammonia
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Collins GS
(2020)
A steeply-inclined trajectory for the Chicxulub impact.
in Nature communications
Colò G
(2020)
Isoscalar monopole and quadrupole modes in Mo isotopes: Microscopic analysis
in Physics Letters B
Comerford T
(2019)
Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton accretion by binary stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Conaboy L
(2023)
Relative baryon-dark matter velocities in cosmological zoom simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Constantino T
(2021)
Suppression of lithium depletion in young low-mass stars from fast rotation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Constantino T
(2021)
Suppression of lithium depletion in young low-mass stars from fast rotation
Cooke R
(2020)
The ACCELERATION programme: I. Cosmology with the redshift drift
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cooper L
(2020)
$B_c \to B_{s(d)}$ form factors
Cooper R
(2020)
Subcritical dynamos in rapidly-rotating planar convection
Correa C
(2020)
The dependence of the galaxy stellar-to-halo mass relation on galaxy morphology
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Coughlin E
(2020)
Variability in Short Gamma-Ray Bursts: Gravitationally Unstable Tidal Tails
in The Astrophysical Journal
Coughlin E
(2022)
Stars Crushed by Black Holes. II. A Physical Model of Adiabatic Compression and Shock Formation in Tidal Disruption Events
in The Astrophysical Journal
Coulton W
(2020)
Weak lensing minima and peaks: Cosmological constraints and the impact of baryons
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Creci G
(2020)
Evolution of black hole shadows from superradiance
in Physical Review D
Cuello N
(2018)
Flybys in protoplanetary discs: I. Gas and dust dynamics
Cuesta-Lazaro C
(2023)
Galaxy clustering from the bottom up: a streaming model emulator I
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cuesta-Lazaro C
(2020)
Towards a non-Gaussian model of redshift space distortions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cufari M
(2023)
Tidal capture of stars by supermassive black holes: implications for periodic nuclear transients and quasi-periodic eruptions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Cui W
(2021)
The origin of galaxy colour bimodality in the scatter of the stellar-to-halo mass relation
in Nature Astronomy
Cummins D
(2022)
Extreme Pebble Accretion in Ringed Protoplanetary Discs
Cummins D
(2022)
Extreme pebble accretion in ringed protoplanetary discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cuomo V
(2023)
Testing for relics of past strong buckling events in edge-on galaxies: simulation predictions and data from S4G
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Currie L
(2020)
Convection with misaligned gravity and rotation: simulations and rotating mixing length theory
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description | Many new discoveries about the formation and evolution of galaxies, star formation and planet formation have been made possible by this award. |
Exploitation Route | Many international collaborative projects are supported by the HPC resources provided by DiRAC. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Healthcare,Transport |
URL | http://www.dirac.ac.uk |