DiRAC: Memory Intensive 2.5x
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Physics
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 more than 250
papers annually in international, peer-reviewed journals. However, the
DiRAC2 hardware is now at least 5 years old and is therefore at
significant risk of failure. The loss of any one of the DiRAC2
services would have a potentially disastrous impact on the research
communities which rely on it to deliver their scientific research. The
main purpose of the requested funding for the DiRAC2.5x project is to
replace the ageing DiRAC2 hardware at Durham, Edinburgh and Leicester
while taking advantage of recent hardware advances to provide some new
capabilities (e.g. i/o acceleration using flash storage) as prototypes
for the proposed DiRAC3 services.
The DiRAC-2.5x project builds on the success of the DiRAC-2.5 HPC facility and will provide the resources needed
to support cutting edge research starting from 1/4/2018 in all areas of science supported by STFC.
Specifically the funding sort by Durham will allow:
A factor 2 increase in the size of calculation that can be run at Durham, and a 50% increase in the
available computing power (assuming the current DiRAC-2.5 systems continue to operate at the current level).
The usage of the system will be decided by the DiRAC Resource Allocation Committee primarily,
but it is envisaged that the enhanced system will be used for very large calculations, for example, to:
(i) simulate the merger of pairs of black holes which generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the
LIGO consortium;
(ii) perform the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe
(iii) carry out detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors.
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 more than 250
papers annually in international, peer-reviewed journals. However, the
DiRAC2 hardware is now at least 5 years old and is therefore at
significant risk of failure. The loss of any one of the DiRAC2
services would have a potentially disastrous impact on the research
communities which rely on it to deliver their scientific research. The
main purpose of the requested funding for the DiRAC2.5x project is to
replace the ageing DiRAC2 hardware at Durham, Edinburgh and Leicester
while taking advantage of recent hardware advances to provide some new
capabilities (e.g. i/o acceleration using flash storage) as prototypes
for the proposed DiRAC3 services.
The DiRAC-2.5x project builds on the success of the DiRAC-2.5 HPC facility and will provide the resources needed
to support cutting edge research starting from 1/4/2018 in all areas of science supported by STFC.
Specifically the funding sort by Durham will allow:
A factor 2 increase in the size of calculation that can be run at Durham, and a 50% increase in the
available computing power (assuming the current DiRAC-2.5 systems continue to operate at the current level).
The usage of the system will be decided by the DiRAC Resource Allocation Committee primarily,
but it is envisaged that the enhanced system will be used for very large calculations, for example, to:
(i) simulate the merger of pairs of black holes which generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by the
LIGO consortium;
(ii) perform the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe
(iii) carry out detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors.
Planned Impact
The anticipated impact of the DiRAC2.5x 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 DiRAC2.5x 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 the
lead Je-S form from Leicester, describes the overall industrial strategy for DiRAC2.5x,
including our strategic goals and key performance indicators.
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 DiRAC2.5x 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 the
lead Je-S form from Leicester, describes the overall industrial strategy for DiRAC2.5x,
including our strategic goals and key performance indicators.
Organisations
Publications
Barber C
(2018)
Calibrated, cosmological hydrodynamical simulations with variable IMFs I: Method and effect on global galaxy scaling relations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mao T
(2018)
Resolution of the apparent discrepancy between the number of massive subhaloes in Abell 2744 and ?CDM
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
McNally C
(2018)
Low-mass planet migration in magnetically torqued dead zones - II. Flow-locked and runaway migration, and a torque prescription
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leo M
(2018)
Nonlinear growth of structure in cosmologies with damped matter fluctuations
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Gunawardhana M
(2018)
Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): the signatures of galaxy interactions as viewed from small-scale galaxy clustering
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Armijo J
(2018)
Testing modified gravity using a marked correlation function
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Costa T
(2018)
Quenching star formation with quasar outflows launched by trapped IR radiation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Fa W
(2018)
Unravelling the Mystery of Lunar Anomalous Craters Using Radar and Infrared Observations
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Mukherjee S
(2018)
SEAGLE - I. A pipeline for simulating and modelling strong lenses from cosmological hydrodynamic simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Weinberger L
(2018)
Lyman-a emitters gone missing: the different evolution of the bright and faint populations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McCarthy I
(2018)
The BAHAMAS project: the CMB-large-scale structure tension and the roles of massive neutrinos and galaxy formation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cautun M
(2018)
The Santiago-Harvard-Edinburgh-Durham void comparison - I. SHEDding light on chameleon gravity tests
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leo M
(2018)
A new smooth- k space filter approach to calculate halo abundances
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Koudmani S
(2018)
Fast and energetic AGN-driven outflows in simulated dwarf galaxies
Vincenzo F
(2018)
On the [a/Fe]-[Fe/H] relations in early-type galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Mackereth J
(2018)
The origin of diverse a-element abundances in galaxy discs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Katz H
(2018)
A Census of the LyC photons that form the UV background during reionization
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Leo M
(2018)
N-body simulations of structure formation in thermal inflation cosmologies
in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Schwinn J
(2018)
Uncovering substructure with wavelets:proof of concept using Abell 2744
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Kegerreis J
(2018)
Consequences of Giant Impacts on Early Uranus for Rotation, Internal Structure, Debris, and Atmospheric Erosion
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hernández-Aguayo C
(2018)
Large-scale redshift space distortions in modified gravity theories
Davies C
(2018)
Weak lensing by voids in weak lensing maps
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Bemporad A
(2018)
Measuring the electron temperatures of coronal mass ejections with future space-based multi-channel coronagraphs: a numerical test
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Strigari L
(2018)
Dynamical Constraints on the Dark Matter Distribution of the Sculptor Dwarf Spheroidal from Stellar Proper Motions
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tanaka M
(2018)
The Missing Satellite Problem Outside of the Local Group. I. Pilot Observation
in The Astrophysical Journal
Barnes L
(2018)
Galaxy formation efficiency and the multiverse explanation of the cosmological constant with EAGLE simulations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Schönrich R
(2018)
Warp, waves, and wrinkles in the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Regan J
(2018)
Rise of the first supermassive stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Asquith R
(2018)
Cosmic CARNage II: the evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function in observations and galaxy formation models
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Bose S
(2018)
The Imprint of Cosmic Reionization on the Luminosity Function of Galaxies
in The Astrophysical Journal
Reid J
(2018)
Coronal energy release by MHD avalanches: continuous driving
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Newton O
(2018)
The total satellite population of the Milky Way
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Sharma M
(2018)
CEMPlifying reionization
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Cooke R
(2018)
Measurement of the primordial helium abundance from the intergalactic medium
in Nature Astronomy
Henden N
(2018)
The FABLE simulations: a feedback model for galaxies, groups, and clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Müller B
(2018)
Multidimensional simulations of ultrastripped supernovae to shock breakout
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pagano P
(2018)
A new technique for observationally derived boundary conditions for space weather
in Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate
McAlpine S
(2018)
The rapid growth phase of supermassive black holes
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Farahi A
(2018)
Localized massive halo properties in bahamas and MACSIS simulations: scalings, lognormality, and covariance
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Antolin P
(2018)
In Situ Generation of Transverse Magnetohydrodynamic Waves from Colliding Flows in the Solar Corona
in The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Hernández-Aguayo C
(2018)
Marked clustering statistics in f(R) gravity cosmologies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Navarro J
(2018)
The innate origin of radial and vertical gradients in a simulated galaxy disc
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
Smith M
(2018)
Supernova feedback in numerical simulations of galaxy formation: separating physics from numerics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pfeffer J
(2018)
The E-MOSAICS project: simulating the formation and co-evolution of galaxies and their star cluster populations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Ashworth G
(2018)
Theoretical predictions for IMF diagnostics in UV spectroscopy of star clusters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Goldstraw E
(2018)
Comparison of methods for modelling coronal magnetic fields
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Cooke R
(2018)
One Percent Determination of the Primordial Deuterium Abundance*
in The Astrophysical Journal
Description | See Dirac annual report https://dirac.ac.uk |
Exploitation Route | See Dirac annual report https://dirac.ac.uk |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
URL | https://dirac.ac.uk |