Vol. 52, No. 3        February 11, 2000

Computation

Adaptive Mesh Refinement in CTH: A new capability of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) has been incorporated into the Sandia shock-physics code CTH. The new capability significantly increases performance and memory utilization by optimally distributing fine computational mesh around features that need it, such as shock waves and material interfaces. On a recent test of the capability for a structural surety application, the code demonstrated a 70 percent reduction in computer time while simulating blast interaction on a multistory building. (9200) (NWSBU)

The Technical Library completed two major digital initiatives that benefit Sandia's technical staff. Researchers gained access to more than 500 new electronic journal titles that are easily available on the library's homepage. This capability provides full-text access to individual journal titles and articles. Also, the library's classified online catalog became accessible from the Secure Classified Network (SCN) LAN. This allows authorized SCN users to search the library's classified catalog from their desktop. (4900)

In Sandia's Bldg. 880, in the shadow of the world's fastest machine for scientific computation, a Sandia/Compaq Computer team constructed a second machine optimized for data management and visualization. On Nov. 1, 1998, Sandia's new Kudzu machine, a partition of Sandia's Computational Plant project, proved itself ready for managing and mining understanding from massive high-fidelity simulation results by sorting a terabyte dataset, and verifying that every bit in the sorted result was correct. The result was also audited, and established a new world speed record for completing this sort. (9100) (S&TSMU)

The Advanced Network Integration and the Scientific Computing Systems departments developed and deployed a novel parallel network architecture for Sandia's world-class TeraOp supercomputing environment. This work resulted in a

2-orders-of-magnitude improvement in data transfer rates and enabled a user to move 1.5 tera-bytes of data from the TeraOp machine to a post-processing machine in less than a day, a process that would have originally required more than 46 days. (4600)

ASCI and ADAPT teamed to open state-of-the-art integrated information and scientific visualization centers in California and New Mexico -- the Visualization Design Center (VDC) in Bldg. 912 and the Weapons Engineering Product Realization Environment (WEPRE) in Bldg. 836. These facilities provide Sandia's scientists and engineers an unprecedented ability to visualize tera- scale datasets from ASCI computations and to collaborate on weapons designs with remotely located team members. These capabilities are made possible through the integration of modern product design tools, powerful ASCI-class visualization resources, and state-of-the-art video teleconferencing techniques. (8900,1400, 2100, 9200) (NWSBU)

The Product Realization Environment (PRE) delivered "building blocks" -- software components that provide access to electronic resources used by the weapons engineering community. A secure version of PRE was accredited for use on the Sandia Classified Network (SCN), and we demonstrated secure PRE between two sites using SecureNet. (8900, 6500, 4900, 4600, 4400).

Supercomputer power using off-the-shelf technology is the goal of the C-Plant project. A major challenge is developing system software that can effectively tie together computers and networks in a manner that is scalable to hundreds (and eventually thousands) of processors. Sandia has created a unique interdisciplinary team that is greatly accelerating the creation of a scalable software environment for computer clusters. (9200)

Number 1 again: For the third year in a row, Sandia's ASCI Red computer system has retained its number 1 position on the TOP500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers. After an upgrade of all of its processors to Pentium II Xeons and the doubling of its memory, ASCI Red achieved a record 2.3796 teraflops on the Linpack benchmark, a nearly 40 percent performance improvement for approximately 15 percent of the original cost. (9200, 4600) (NWSBU)

Last modified: February 28, 2000

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