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
Raimondi F
(2019)
Core-polarization effects and effective charges in O and Ni isotopes from chiral interactions
in Physical Review C
Regan J
(2019)
Super-Eddington accretion and feedback from the first massive seed black holes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Reid J
(2020)
Coronal energy release by MHD avalanches: Heating mechanisms
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Reina-Campos M
(2019)
Formation histories of stars, clusters, and globular clusters in the E-MOSAICS simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rey M
(2019)
EDGE: The Origin of Scatter in Ultra-faint Dwarf Stellar Masses and Surface Brightnesses
in The Astrophysical Journal
Rhodin N
(2019)
The nature of strong H i absorbers probed by cosmological simulations: satellite accretion and outflows
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Richings J
(2020)
Subhalo destruction in the Apostle and Auriga simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Richings J
(2019)
QED corrections to leptonic decay rates
Riley A
(2019)
The velocity anisotropy of the Milky Way satellite system
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Robertson A
(2019)
Observable tests of self-interacting dark matter in galaxy clusters: cosmological simulations with SIDM and baryons
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Robson D
(2023)
Redshift evolution of galaxy group X-ray properties in the Simba simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rodrigues L
(2019)
Evolution of galactic magnetic fields
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rosas-Guevara Y
(2019)
The abundances and properties of Dual AGN and their host galaxies in the EAGLE simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rosito M
(2019)
The mass-size plane of EAGLE galaxies
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rosito M
(2019)
Assembly of spheroid-dominated galaxies in the EAGLE simulation
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rosotti G
(2020)
Spiral arms in the protoplanetary disc HD100453 detected with ALMA: evidence for binary-disc interaction and a vertical temperature gradient
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rouillard A
(2020)
Models and data analysis tools for the Solar Orbiter mission
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Sainsbury-Martinez F
(2019)
Idealised simulations of the deep atmosphere of hot Jupiters Deep, hot adiabats as a robust solution to the radius inflation problem
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Shanahan R
(2019)
Strong Excess Faraday Rotation on the Inside of the Sagittarius Spiral Arm
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Shao S
(2019)
Screening maps of the local Universe I - Methodology
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sharma M
(2019)
The I?ea model of feedback-regulated galaxy formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Shiraishi M
(2019)
General modal estimation for cross-bispectra
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Simpson C
(2019)
Simulating cosmological substructure in the solar neighbourhood
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Smith R
(2020)
The Cloud Factory I: Generating resolved filamentary molecular clouds from galactic-scale forces
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sohn W
(2019)
CMB-S4 forecast on the primordial non-Gaussianity parameter of feature models
in Physical Review D
Solar M
(2020)
Azimuthal variations of oxygen abundance profiles in star-forming regions of disc galaxies in EAGLE simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Soussana A
(2020)
The impact of AGN feedback on galaxy intrinsic alignments in the Horizon simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Springel V
(2019)
No cores in dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies with bursty star formation histories
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stamatellos D
(2019)
ALMA reveals a pseudo-disc in a proto-brown dwarf
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stevenson P
(2019)
Low-energy heavy-ion reactions and the Skyrme effective interaction
in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics
Stothert L
(2019)
A new approach to finding galaxy groups using Markov Clustering
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Sykes C
(2019)
Fluorescent rings in star-free dark matter haloes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tanimura H
(2019)
A search for warm/hot gas filaments between pairs of SDSS Luminous Red Galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Thob A
(2019)
The relationship between the morphology and kinematics of galaxies and its dependence on dark matter halo structure in EAGLE
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tillman M
(2023)
Efficient Long-range Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) Feedback Affects the Low-redshift Lya Forest
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Trayford J
(2019)
Resolved galaxy scaling relations in the eagle simulation: star formation, metallicity, and stellar mass on kpc scales
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Trayford J
(2019)
The star formation rate and stellar content contributions of morphological components in the EAGLE simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vandenbroucke B
(2019)
Testing the stability of supersonic ionized Bondi accretion flows with radiation hydrodynamics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vidal J
(2020)
Turbulent Viscosity Acting on the Equilibrium Tidal Flow in Convective Stars
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Vincenzo F
(2019)
Zoom-in cosmological hydrodynamical simulation of a star-forming barred, spiral galaxy at redshift z = 2
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vincenzo F
(2019)
He abundances in disc galaxies I. Predictions from cosmological chemodynamical simulations
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
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
Wareing C
(2018)
A new mechanical stellar wind feedback model for the Rosette Nebula
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wen K
(2019)
Dissipation Dynamics of Nuclear Fusion Reactions
in Acta Physica Polonica B
Widdicombe J
(2020)
Black hole formation in relativistic Oscillaton collisions
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Witzke V
(2019)
Evolution and characteristics of forced shear flows in polytropic atmospheres: large and small Péclet number regimes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Wurster J
(2019)
Disc formation and fragmentation using radiative non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ying B
(2019)
First Determination of 2D Speed Distribution within the Bodies of Coronal Mass Ejections with Cross-correlation Analysis
in The Astrophysical Journal