MRI: Acquisition of a Blue Gene/L Supercomputer for Computational Science Research

Trustees Of Boston University, Boston

Investigators

Abstract

This project, empowering research projects in computational science, aims at acquiring a 2048-node BlueGene/L supercomputer from IBM. BlueGene/L is a highly integrated supercomputer based on system-on-a-chip technology focusing on numerically based scientific problems. The new supercomputer will enable a wide range of novel, computationally intensive research in areas ranging from subnuclear physics to bioengineering, space weather and ocean modeling. These areas will provide a test-bed for BlueGene/L applications in a concrete and diverse environment. The investigations will be carried out by researchers from Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Tufts University. An IBM scientist (Gyan Bhanot) will collaborate with these scientists in the study of optical techniques to use the machine. The following sixteen projects will make use of the facility: Computational Investigations of Subnuclear Particle Phenomena, Computational Investigations of Condensed Quantum Matter, Photonic Crystals, Quantum Dynamics of Chemical Systems, Accelerated Algorithms for Multiple Time Scale Simulations of Supercooled Liquids and Biomolecules, Molecular Modeling of Liquid and Glassy Water, Multiscale Modeling of Materials Strength, Computational Determination of Regulatory Networks, Dynamics of Spin Systems and Opinion Evolution, Managing Complex Systems in Manufacturing Enterprise, Computational Investigations of Topological Issues in Hydrodynamics, Large Eddy Simulation Models for Three-Dimensional Turbulence, Space Weather, Electrodynamics of Plasma Processes in the Ionosphere, Non-Hydrostatic Direct Numerical Simulation of Oceans, and Algorithms for Optimized Computation and Communication of Blue/Gene/L Broader Impact: New programs in interdisciplinary training in computational science (ACES) will take advantage of the facility. The resource will be shared in a broad basis and open to the national research community.