The DiRAC-2.5y Facility
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 DiRAC2 HPC facility has been operating since 2012, providing computing resources for theoretical research
in all areas of particle physics, astronomy, cosmology and nuclear physics supported by STFC. It is a highly productive
facility, generating 200-250 papers annually in international, peer-reviewed journals. However, the DiRAC facility risks becoming uncompetitive as it has remained static in terms of overall capability since 2012. The DiRAC-2.5x investment in 2017/18 mitigated the risk of hardware failures, by replacing our oldest hardware components. However, as the factor 5 oversubscription of the most recent RAC call demonstrated, the science programme in 2019/20 and beyond requires a significant uplift in DiRAC's compute capability. The main purpose of the requested funding for the DiRAC2.5y project is to provide a factor 2 increase in computing across all DiRAC services to enable the facility to remain competitive during 2019/20 in anticipation of future funding for DiRAC-3.
DiRAC2.5y builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources needed to support cutting-edge research
during 2019 in all areas of science supported by STFC. While the funding is required to remain competitive, the science programme will continue to be world-leading. Examples of the projects which will benefit from this investment include:
(i) lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations of the properties of fundamental particles from first principles;
(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;
(iii) simulations of the merger of pairs of black holes amnwhich generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the LIGO consortium;
(iv) the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe;
(v) the accretion of gas onto supermassive black holes, the most efficient means of extracting energy from matter and the engine which drives galaxy evolution;
(vi) new models of our own Milky Way galaxy calibrated using new data from the European Space Agency's GAIA satellite;
(vii) detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors;
(viii) the formation of stars in clusters - for the first time it will be possible to follow the formation of massive stars.
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 DiRAC2 HPC facility has been operating since 2012, providing computing resources for theoretical research
in all areas of particle physics, astronomy, cosmology and nuclear physics supported by STFC. It is a highly productive
facility, generating 200-250 papers annually in international, peer-reviewed journals. However, the DiRAC facility risks becoming uncompetitive as it has remained static in terms of overall capability since 2012. The DiRAC-2.5x investment in 2017/18 mitigated the risk of hardware failures, by replacing our oldest hardware components. However, as the factor 5 oversubscription of the most recent RAC call demonstrated, the science programme in 2019/20 and beyond requires a significant uplift in DiRAC's compute capability. The main purpose of the requested funding for the DiRAC2.5y project is to provide a factor 2 increase in computing across all DiRAC services to enable the facility to remain competitive during 2019/20 in anticipation of future funding for DiRAC-3.
DiRAC2.5y builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources needed to support cutting-edge research
during 2019 in all areas of science supported by STFC. While the funding is required to remain competitive, the science programme will continue to be world-leading. Examples of the projects which will benefit from this investment include:
(i) lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations of the properties of fundamental particles from first principles;
(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;
(iii) simulations of the merger of pairs of black holes amnwhich generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the LIGO consortium;
(iv) the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe;
(v) the accretion of gas onto supermassive black holes, the most efficient means of extracting energy from matter and the engine which drives galaxy evolution;
(vi) new models of our own Milky Way galaxy calibrated using new data from the European Space Agency's GAIA satellite;
(vii) detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors;
(viii) the formation of stars in clusters - for the first time it will be possible to follow the formation of massive stars.
Planned Impact
The anticipated impact of the DiRAC2.5y HPC facility aligns closely with the recently published UK Industrial Strategy. As such, many of our key impacts will be driven by our engagements with industry. Each service provider for DiRAC2.5y has a local industrial strategy to deliver increased levels of industrial returns over the next three years.
The "Pathways to impact" document which is attached to this proposal describes the overall industrial strategy for the DiRAC facility, including our strategic goals and key performance indicators.
The "Pathways to impact" document which is attached to this proposal describes the overall industrial strategy for the DiRAC facility, including our strategic goals and key performance indicators.
Organisations
Publications
Gourgouliatos K
(2017)
Magnetic Axis Drift and Magnetic Spot Formation in Neutron Stars with Toroidal Fields
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gourgouliatos K
(2017)
Reconfinement and loss of stability in jets from active galactic nuclei
in Nature Astronomy
Wareing C
(2018)
A new mechanical stellar wind feedback model for the Rosette Nebula
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Goldsmith K
(2018)
A comparison of shock-cloud and wind-cloud interactions: effect of increased cloud density contrast on cloud evolution
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gourgouliatos K
(2018)
Relativistic centrifugal instability
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Pittard J
(2018)
Colliding stellar winds structure and X-ray emission
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pittard J
(2019)
Momentum and energy injection by a supernova remnant into an inhomogeneous medium
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Young R
(2019)
Simulating Jupiter's weather layer. Part II: Passive ammonia and water cycles
in Icarus
Bena I
(2019)
Holographic dual of hot Polchinski-Strassler quark-gluon plasma
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Moliné Á
(2019)
Properties of Subhalos in the Interacting Dark Matter Scenario
in Galaxies
Rey M
(2019)
EDGE: The Origin of Scatter in Ultra-faint Dwarf Stellar Masses and Surface Brightnesses
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hillier A
(2019)
Ion-neutral decoupling in the nonlinear Kelvin-Helmholtz instability: Case of field-aligned flow
in Physics of Plasmas
Lovell M
(2019)
The signal of decaying dark matter with hydrodynamical simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Amarantidis S
(2019)
The first supermassive black holes: indications from models for future observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wareing C
(2019)
Sheets, filaments, and clumps - high-resolution simulations of how the thermal instability can form molecular clouds
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Green S
(2019)
Thermal emission from bow shocks I. 2D hydrodynamic models of the Bubble Nebula
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Golightly E
(2019)
On the Diversity of Fallback Rates from Tidal Disruption Events with Accurate Stellar Structure
in The Astrophysical Journal
Lovell M
(2019)
Simulating the Dark Matter Decay Signal from the Perseus Galaxy Cluster
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Deason A
(2019)
The total stellar halo mass of the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Duguid C
(2019)
Tidal flows with convection: frequency-dependence of the effective viscosity and evidence for anti-dissipation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rosito M
(2019)
The mass-size plane of EAGLE galaxies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Gorman M
(2019)
ExoMol molecular line lists XXXVI: X 2? - X 2? and A 2S+ - X 2? transitions of SH
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Liao S
(2019)
Ultra-diffuse galaxies in the Auriga simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Martin G
(2019)
The formation and evolution of low-surface-brightness galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shiraishi M
(2019)
General modal estimation for cross-bispectra
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics