Acquisition of a Parallel Dedicated Platform for Gravitational Dynamics

AST-0420920/梅里特，罗彻斯特理工学院贝奥武夫计算机集群，每个节点连接到一台用于模拟引力相互作用的专用计算机，将从8个节点扩展到32个节点。最终的系统将是世界上同类系统中最大的，将能够以大约4万亿次浮点的速度模拟粒子数量高达约50,000,000的N体系统。模拟将涵盖星系核的动力学，特别是单个和双星超大质量黑洞与恒星和致密物体的相互作用。本科生和研究生将通过罗切斯特理工学院的一个用户组参与集群的构建、使用和维护的所有方面，该集群将通过一个合作联盟向罗切斯特理工学院以外的合作者提供。

AST-0420920/Merritt, Rochester Inst of TechnologyA Beowulf cluster of computers, with each node connected to a special-purpose computer for simulating gravitational interactions, will be expanded from 8 to 32 nodes. The final system will be the largest of its kind in the world and will be capable of simulating N-body systems with particle numbers up to approximately 50,000,000 at speeds of approximately 4 terraflops. Simulations will cover the dynamics of galactic nuclei, in particular the interactions of single and binary supermassive black holes with stars and compact objects. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in all aspects of the construction, use, and maintenance of the cluster through a users group at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the cluster will be made available to collaborators outside of the Rochester Institute of Technology through a collaborative consortium.