MRI: Acquisition of A Hyrid High Performance Computer Cluster for Gravitational-Wave Source Simulation and Data Analysis

该奖项支持购买高性能计算(HPC)设备，这些设备将支持与地面GW探测器相关的引力波物理领域的研究，例如NSF资助的激光干涉仪引力波观测站(LIGO)。该设备促成的研究集中于对引力波的天体物理源进行建模，以及开发用于分析LIGO获得的引力波信号的计算工具，将物理学家与计算机科学家和应用数学家的合作聚集在一起。该设备的混合性源于将尖端图形编程单元(适用于科学计算的图形处理器)整合在常规计算单元之外，用作大规模并行计算的加速器。引力波源的研究在物理学的许多其他领域中都很重要，所开展的研究工作具有很强的跨学科性质。该设备将进一步使学生能够在高性能计算技术和计算研究方面进行多方面的培训，包括针对图形处理器的算法开发，这是在21世纪具有竞争力的技术先进的劳动力最希望看到的。一小部分计算时间资源也将与西北大学NSF资助的另一个项目GK-12项目相结合；这些资源将通过与科学课程相关的活动和模块将计算思维和模拟工具带到K-12课堂，从而使教师和学生参与基于探究的学习，了解研究过程，并提高研究生的沟通和拓展技能。

This award supports the acquisition of high-performance computing (HPC) equipment that will enable research in the area of gravitational-wave physics relevant to ground-based GW detectors, such as the NSF-funded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). The research enabled by this equipment focuses on both modeling the astrophysical sources of gravitational waves, as well as the development of computational tools for the analysis of gravitational-wave signals obtained by LIGO, bringing together a collaboration of physicists with computer scientists and applied mathematicians. The hybrid character of the equipment originates from the incorporation of cutting-edge Graphics Programming Units (GPUs appropriate for scientific computing) used as accelerators for massively parallel computations in additional to regular computing units. The study of gravitational wave sources is important in many other areas of physics and the enabled research work has a strong interdisciplinary character. The equipment will further enable the multi-faceted training of students in HPC technology and computational research, including algorithmic development for GPUs most desirable for a technically sophisticated workforce, competitive in the 21st century. A small fraction of the computing time resources will also be coupled to another NSF-funded project at Northwestern, a GK-12 program; these resources will bring computational thinking and simulation tools to K-12 classroom through activities and modules tied to the science curriculum thus engaging teachers and students in inquiry-based learning, understanding of the research process, and advancing communication and outreach skills of the graduate students.