DiRAC-2.5 DC - Operations 2017-2020

天文学、核物理和粒子物理学界的物理学家们都致力于从一个非常基本的层面上理解宇宙是如何运作的。从在原子核深处的大型强子对撞机实验中探测到的最小距离到在太空中发现的最大尺度星系团，它们工作的距离尺度相差50个数量级。然而，科学方面的挑战是通过以下问题联系起来的：宇宙是如何开始的？它是如何进化的？宇宙的基本成分和结构是什么？它们是如何相互作用的？进步需要新的天文观测和实验数据，但也需要新的理论见解。理论理解越来越多地来自大规模计算，它使我们能够非常准确地用数据面对理论的结果，或者允许我们详细地询问数据以提取对我们的理论有影响的信息。这些计算测试了我们拥有的最快的计算机，并推动了这一领域的技术界限。他们还提供了一个良好的环境，培训学生在最先进的技术，代码优化和数据挖掘和可视化。DiRAC-2.5项目建立在DiRAC高性能计算设施的成功基础上，将在2017年为STFC支持的所有科学领域的前沿研究提供所需的资源。具体来说，达勒姆大学的资助将允许：达勒姆大学的DiRAC超级计算机的计算能力提高2倍，这台超级计算机是为需要大量计算机内存的模拟而设计的。该系统的使用将主要由DiRAC资源分配委员会决定，但预计增强后的系统将用于，例如：(i)模拟产生引力波的黑洞对的合并，例如ligo财团最近发现的引力波；（ii）对宇宙中星系的形成和演化进行迄今为止最真实的模拟；（iii）对太阳内部和行星内部进行详细的模拟。

Physicists across the astronomy, nuclear and particle physics communities are focussedon understanding how the Universe works at a very fundamental level. The distance scaleswith which they work vary by 50 orders of magnitude from the smallest distances probedby experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, deep within the atomicnucleus, to the largest scale galaxy clusters discovered out in space. The Science challenges,however, are linked through questions such as: How did the Universe begin and how is it evolving?and What are the fundamental constituents and fabric of the Universe and how do they interact?Progress requires new astronomical observations and experimental data but alsonew theoretical insights. Theoretical understanding comes increasingly from large-scalecomputations that allow us to confront the consequences of our theories very accuratelywith the data or allow us to interrogate the data in detail to extract information that hasimpact on our theories. These computations test the fastest computers that we have andpush the boundaries of technology in this sector. They also provide an excellentenvironment for training students in state-of-the-art techniques for code optimisation anddata mining and visualisation.The DiRAC-2.5 project builds on the success of the DiRAC HPC facility and will provide the resources neededto support cutting edge research during 2017 in all areas of science supported by STFC.Specifically the funding sort by Durham will allow: A factor 2 increase in the computational power of the DiRAC supercomputer at the University of Durham, which isdesigned for simulations requiring large amounts of computer memory. The usage of the system will be decided bythe DiRAC Resource Allocation Committee primarily, but it is envisaged that the enhanced system will be used, forexample, to:(i) simulate the merger of pairs of black holes which generate gravitational waves such as those recently discovered by theLIGO consortium;(ii) perform the most realistic simulations to date of the formation and evolution of galaxies in the Universe(iii) carry out detailed simulations of the interior of the sun and of planetary interiors.