DiRAC-3 Operations 2023-26 - Leicester Additional Grant

DiRAC高性能计算（HPC）设施为STFC粒子物理、天体物理、宇宙学和核物理理论社区提供尖端的计算服务。我们的HPC技能培训和创新活动补充计划为STFC理论研究计划提供了进一步的支持，并为更广泛的社会和经济带来了重大利益。天体物理学、宇宙学、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。从大型强子对撞机（Large Hadron Collider）实验探测到的原子核深处的最小距离，到宇宙中观测到的最大尺度星系团，它们工作的距离尺度相差40多个数量级。然而，科学上的挑战是通过这样的问题联系起来的：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？进步需要结合新的天文观测、新的实验数据和新的理论见解。今天，理论理解越来越多地来自大规模的计算，这使我们能够面对，详细地，我们的理论模型的含义与观测或实验的数据，或询问数据，以提取对我们的理论有影响的信息。越来越多的理论计算使用人工智能和机器学习算法来增强其物理真实感，提高其计算效率，或两者兼而有之。这些计算需要最快的计算机的性能，并推动了该领域的技术界限。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，数据挖掘和可视化；这些都是他们未来职业生涯的宝贵技能。自2009年以来，DiRAC高性能计算设施一直在运行，为STFC支持的粒子物理、天体物理、宇宙学和核物理等各个领域的理论研究提供计算资源。这是一个生产力很高的机构，支持STFC理论社区每年在国际同行评审期刊上发表270多篇论文。2020年，DiRAC从UKRI世界一流实验室基金获得了2000万英镑的资本投资，允许部署DiRAC-3第一阶段，这是自2012年DiRAC-2以来我们计算资源的首次重大提升，并为2022/23年的STFC理论计划提供了至关重要的推动。本提案所需资金的主要目的是支持DiRAC高性能计算设施在2023-2026年期间的持续运营，包括工作人员和电力费用。这些资源将使DiRAC继续作为STFC理论社区具有国际竞争力的计算设施，培养下一代领先的计算科学家，并在未来十年中在UKRI数字研究基础设施中发挥主导作用。

The DiRAC High Performance Computing (HPC) facility provides cutting-edge computing services for the STFC theory communities in particle physics, astrophysics, cosmology and nuclear physics. Our complementary programmes of HPC skills training and innovation activities provide further support to the STFC theory research programme, as well as delivering significant benefits to wider society and the economy.Physicists across the astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear and particle physics communities are focussed on understanding how the Universe works at a very fundamental level. The distance scales with which they work vary by more than 40 orders of magnitude from the smallest distances probed by experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, deep within the atomic nucleus, to the largest scale galaxy clusters observed in the Universe. 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 a combination of new astronomical observations, new experimental data and new theoretical insights. Today, theoretical understanding comes increasingly from large-scale computations that allow us to confront, in detail, the implications of our theoretical models with data from observations or experiments, or to interrogate the data to extract information that has impact on our theories. Increasingly, theoretical calculations use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to enhance their physical realism, improve their computational efficiency, or both.These computations require the performance of the fastest computers available and push the boundaries of technology in this sector. They also provide an excellent environment for training students in state-of-the-art techniques for code optimisation, data mining and visualisation; all valuable skills for their future careers.The DiRAC HPC facility has been operating since 2009, providing computing resources for theoretical researchin all areas of particle physics, astrophysics, cosmology and nuclear physics supported by STFC. It is a highly productivefacility, supporting the STFC theory community in publishing over 270 papers annually in international, peer-reviewed journals. In 2020, DiRAC received a £20m capital investment from the UKRI World Class Laboratories fund, allowing the deployment of DiRAC-3 Phase 1, the first major uplift in ourcomputational resources since DiRAC-2 in 2012 and providing a vital boost to the STFC theory programme for 2022/23.The main purpose of the funding requested in this proposal is to support the continued operation of the DiRAC HPC facility for the period 2023-2026, including staff and power costs. These resources will enable DiRAC to continue sustainably as an internationally competitive computing facility for the STFC theory community, to train the next generation of leading computational scientists and to play a lead role in the UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure over the next decade.