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
Achúcarro A
(2019)
Cosmological evolution of semilocal string networks.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Allanson O
(2019)
Particle-in-cell Experiments Examine Electron Diffusion by Whistler-mode Waves: 1. Benchmarking With a Cold Plasma
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Amarantidis S
(2019)
The first supermassive black holes: indications from models for future observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Appleby S
(2023)
The physical nature of circumgalactic medium absorbers in Simba
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Appleby S
(2023)
Mapping circumgalactic medium observations to theory using machine learning
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Arnett W
(2019)
3D Simulations and MLT. I. Renzini's Critique
in The Astrophysical Journal
Arnold C
(2019)
Realistic simulations of galaxy formation in f(R) modified gravity
in Nature Astronomy
Arnold C
(2019)
The modified gravity light-cone simulation project - I. Statistics of matter and halo distributions
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aviles A
(2020)
Marked correlation functions in perturbation theory
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Barber C
(2019)
Calibrated, cosmological hydrodynamical simulations with variable IMFs III: spatially resolved properties and evolution
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barbieri C
(2019)
Lepton scattering from Ar 40 and Ti 48 in the quasielastic peak region
in Physical Review C
Barker A
(2019)
Angular momentum transport by the GSF instability: non-linear simulations at the equator
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barrera-Hinojosa C
(2020)
GRAMSES: a new route to general relativistic N -body simulations in cosmology. Part I. Methodology and code description
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Battino U
(2019)
NuGrid stellar data set - III. Updated low-mass AGB models and s-process nucleosynthesis with metallicities Z= 0.01, Z = 0.02, and Z = 0.03
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Baugh C
(2019)
Galaxy formation in the Planck Millennium: the atomic hydrogen content of dark matter haloes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Baugh C
(2020)
Sensitivity analysis of a galaxy formation model
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bena I
(2019)
Holographic dual of hot Polchinski-Strassler quark-gluon plasma
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Bennett E
(2019)
Sp (4) gauge theories on the lattice: Nf = 2 dynamical fundamental fermions
in Journal of High Energy Physics
Beraldo e Silva L
(2020)
Geometric properties of galactic discs with clumpy episodes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bickerton J
(2019)
Patterns of flavor symmetry breaking in hadron matrix elements involving u , d , and s quarks
in Physical Review D
Bijnens J
(2019)
Electromagnetic finite-size effects to the hadronic vacuum polarization
in Physical Review D
Birkin J
(2019)
Reconstructing the baryon acoustic oscillations using biased tracers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bozorgnia N
(2019)
On the correlation between the local dark matter and stellar velocities
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Callingham T
(2019)
The mass of the Milky Way from satellite dynamics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cataneo M
(2019)
On the road to percent accuracy: non-linear reaction of the matter power spectrum to dark energy and modified gravity
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cautun M
(2019)
The aftermath of the Great Collision between our Galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Chachan Y
(2019)
Dust accretion in binary systems: implications for planets and transition discs
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
Comerford T
(2019)
Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton accretion by binary stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cooke R
(2020)
The ACCELERATION programme: I. Cosmology with the redshift drift
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
Davies C
(2019)
Determination of the quark condensate from heavy-light current-current correlators in full lattice QCD
in Physical Review D
Davies C
(2019)
Meson electromagnetic form factors from lattice QCD
Davies C
(2019)
Improving the kinetic couplings in lattice nonrelativistic QCD
in Physical Review D
Davoudi Z
(2019)
Theoretical aspects of quantum electrodynamics in a finite volume with periodic boundary conditions
in Physical Review D
Deason A
(2019)
The total stellar halo mass of the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Deason A
(2019)
The local high-velocity tail and the Galactic escape speed
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Debras F
(2019)
Acceleration of superrotation in simulated hot Jupiter atmospheres
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Debras F
(2019)
Eigenvectors, Circulation, and Linear Instabilities for Planetary Science in 3 Dimensions (ECLIPS3D)
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Digby R
(2019)
The star formation histories of dwarf galaxies in Local Group cosmological simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dobbs C
(2019)
Comparing the properties of GMCs in M33 from simulations and observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Dowdall R
(2019)
Neutral B -meson mixing from full lattice QCD at the physical point
in Physical Review D
Du M
(2019)
The Formation of Compact Elliptical Galaxies in the Vicinity of a Massive Galaxy: The Role of Ram-pressure Confinement
in The Astrophysical Journal
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
Edelmann P
(2019)
Three-dimensional Simulations of Massive Stars. I. Wave Generation and Propagation
in The Astrophysical Journal
Eilers A
(2019)
Anomaly in the Opacity of the Post-reionization Intergalactic Medium in the Ly a and Ly ß Forest
in The Astrophysical Journal
Elson E
(2023)
Measurements of the angular momentum-mass relations in the Simba simulation
in New Astronomy
Fattahi A
(2019)
The distinct stellar metallicity populations of simulated Local Group dwarfs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fossati M
(2019)
The MUSE Ultra Deep Field (MUDF). II. Survey design and the gaseous properties of galaxy groups at 0.5 < z < 1.5
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gargiulo I
(2019)
The prevalence of pseudo-bulges in the Auriga simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society