Parallel Algorithm for 3D Particle Simulation using CM-2

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This report presents some new data parallel implementations of a plasma particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation code using a scan vector model, which is a strictly data parallel.Ever since the emergence of parallel computers, particle-in-cell (PIC) particle simulation has been recognized as a practical tool that scientists in disciplines such as fluid dynamics and plasma sciences can use to study the complex dynamics of such particles as air molecules or sub-atomic ions and electrons. Noted as one of the 'Grand Challenge' problems by U.S.Government agencies, the parallelizations of PIC codes have been promoted because PIC codes are assumed to possess inherent parallelism.A usual PIC code maps a spatial simulation domain onto a grid. Particles are represented as moving within the grid, while both the properties that are tracked by the grid points and by the particles are updated. On a parallel computer, one can embed either the particles or the grids onto the processors as the primary data structure. In the first case, each processor is responsible for tracing the properties associated with the assigned particles, which we will call the particle data. The properties tracked at the grid points, which we will call the grid data, are made available to the particles, which is so-called a 'gather' part of the computation. On the other hand, if the grid is chosen as the primary data structure, each processor is responsible for keeping track of a subsection of the simulation domain, and the particle data are made available to the grid points, which is so-called a 'scatter' part of the computation. In both the grid and particle processors, the load-balance and the communication costs should be carefully considered. We have successfully implemented a SPMD version of Scan Vector model PIC code in our research.