MRI: Development of a Cloud-Computing Platform for Interferometric Processing

超长基线干涉测量（VLBI）技术将全球各地的射电天线连接在一起，形成地球大小的望远镜。阵列中的每台望远镜都由原子钟网络同步，在同一时刻观测同一个宇宙目标，并将数据记录到硬盘驱动器上。目前，这些磁盘被送到一个专门建造的计算机集群进行处理和成像。但是，该领域最尖端工作所需的灵敏度导致了记录速率和数据量现在超过了内部计算集群的容量。该项目将与谷歌合作开发基础设施和软件，将VLBI处理转移到云上，在云上，可以灵活地配置巨大的虚拟机，以轻松跟上先进记录速率的速度处理科学数据。该项目将彻底改变VLBI的实践，并为广泛的科学提供增加阵列带宽和光谱分辨率的可扩展手段。在VLBI技术的极限下，作为事件视界望远镜（EHT）的一部分，毫米波长的全球阵列将对附近的超大质量黑洞进行成像。该项目还将包括仪器和天文学研究方面的教育参与和早期职业发展机会。该项目将为VLBI开发一个可扩展的、基于云的计算系统。这个项目的动机是将EHT观测扩展到短波长的计算需求；但是，它将发展一种广泛适用于超大规模射电望远镜观测当前和未来需要的方法。该项目将与商业伙伴b谷歌共同开发一种硬件/软件方法。这种方法将包括一个新的VLBI记录系统，使用定制的商业设备将数据从望远镜传输到云端，并修改现有的相关器代码，使其适合在并行的、基于云的平台上执行。该项目将通过与马萨诸塞州城市路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟计划和阿卡迈劳动力计划联合提供的学生研究机会，促进扩大科学参与。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The technique of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) links together radio dishes around the globe to form Earth-sized telescopes. Each telescope in the array, synchronized by a network of atomic clocks, observes the same cosmic target at the same moment, recording data onto banks of hard-disk drives. Currently, these disks are sent to a purpose-built computer cluster for processing and imaging. But the sensitivity required for the most cutting edge work in this field has led to recording rates and data volumes that now exceed the capacity of in-house computing clusters. This project will include a partnership with Google to develop infrastructure and software that will shift VLBI processing to the cloud, where enormous virtual machines can be nimbly configured to process scientific data at speeds that easily keep pace with advancing recording rates. This project will revolutionize the practice of VLBI, and provide an extensible means of increasing array bandwidths and spectral resolution for a broad range of science. At the absolute limits of the VLBI technique, a millimeter wavelength global array will image nearby supermassive black holes as part of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). This project will also include educational participation and early career development opportunities in instrumentation and astronomy research.This project will develop a scalable, cloud-based computational system for VLBI. This project is motivated by the computational needs of extending EHT observations to short wavelengths; however, it will develop a methodology that is broadly applicable to the current and future needs of VLBI observations. The project will develop a hardware/software approach in conjunction with commercial partner, Google. This approach will include a new recording system for VLBI using customized commercial appliances for the transfer of data from the telescope to the cloud, and modifications to existing correlator code to make it suitable for execution on a parallelized, cloud-based platform. This project will contribute to broadening participation in science through student research opportunities made in conjunction with the Urban Massachusetts Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program and the Akamai Workforce Initiative.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.