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
Monachesi A
(2019)
The Auriga stellar haloes: connecting stellar population properties with accretion and merging history
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
Smith R
(2020)
The Cloud Factory I: Generating resolved filamentary molecular clouds from galactic-scale forces
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Power C
(2019)
nIFTy galaxy cluster simulations VI: the dynamical imprint of substructure on gaseous cluster outskirts.
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Callingham T
(2019)
The mass of the Milky Way from satellite dynamics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Keating L
(2020)
Long troughs in the Lyman-a forest below redshift 6 due to islands of neutral hydrogen
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haworth T
(2019)
The first multidimensional view of mass loss from externally FUV irradiated protoplanetary discs
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
Springel V
(2019)
No cores in dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies with bursty star formation histories
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pfeffer J
(2019)
Young star cluster populations in the E-MOSAICS simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Harvey D
(2019)
Observable tests of self-interacting dark matter in galaxy clusters: BCG wobbles in a constant density core
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sykes C
(2019)
Fluorescent rings in star-free dark matter haloes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Digby R
(2019)
The star formation histories of dwarf galaxies in Local Group cosmological simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McAlpine S
(2019)
The nature of submillimetre and highly star-forming galaxies in the EAGLE simulation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rodrigues L
(2019)
Evolution of galactic magnetic fields
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Jackson R
(2019)
Massive spheroids can form in single minor mergers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pittard J
(2018)
Colliding stellar winds structure and X-ray emission
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
McAlpine S
(2019)
The gas fractions of dark matter haloes hosting simulated ~L? galaxies are governed by the feedback history of their black holes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haynes C
(2019)
Galactic simulations of r-process elemental abundances
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
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
Garzilli A
(2020)
Measuring the temperature and profiles of Ly a absorbers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Naik A
(2019)
Constraints on chameleon f(R)-gravity from galaxy rotation curves of the SPARC sample
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society