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
Birkin J
(2019)
Reconstructing the baryon acoustic oscillations using biased tracers
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pimpanuwat B
(2020)
Maser flares driven by variations in pumping and background radiation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Coles P
(2019)
ExoMol molecular line lists - XXXV. A rotation-vibration line list for hot ammonia
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Hou J
(2019)
A comparison between semi-analytical gas cooling models and cosmological hydrodynamical simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
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
Currie L
(2020)
Convection with misaligned gravity and rotation: simulations and rotating mixing length theory
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nishimura (????) N
(2019)
Uncertainties in ?p-process nucleosynthesis from Monte Carlo variation of reaction rates
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Nightingale J
(2019)
Galaxy structure with strong gravitational lensing: decomposing the internal mass distribution of massive elliptical galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Barker A
(2019)
Angular momentum transport by the GSF instability: non-linear simulations at the equator
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kimm T
(2019)
Understanding the escape of LyC and Lya photons from turbulent clouds
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
Kruijssen J
(2019)
The E-MOSAICS project: tracing galaxy formation and assembly with the age-metallicity distribution of globular clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pfeifer S
(2020)
The bahamas project: effects of a running scalar spectral index on large-scale structure
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stothert L
(2019)
A new approach to finding galaxy groups using Markov Clustering
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Gourgouliatos K
(2018)
Relativistic centrifugal instability
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
McNally C
(2019)
Multiplanet systems in inviscid discs can avoid forming resonant chains
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Kulkarni G
(2019)
Large Ly a opacity fluctuations and low CMB t in models of late reionization with large islands of neutral hydrogen extending to z < 5.5
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Simpson C
(2019)
Simulating cosmological substructure in the solar neighbourhood
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Guervilly C
(2019)
Turbulent convective length scale in planetary cores.
in Nature
Gourgouliatos K
(2017)
Reconfinement and loss of stability in jets from active galactic nuclei
in Nature Astronomy
Arnold C
(2019)
Realistic simulations of galaxy formation in f(R) modified gravity
in Nature Astronomy
Pawlik M
(2019)
The diverse evolutionary pathways of post-starburst galaxies
in Nature Astronomy
Elson E
(2023)
Measurements of the angular momentum-mass relations in the Simba simulation
in New Astronomy