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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 685 records · Page 38

Graph Analytics on Jellyfish topology

Because large unstructured datasets is important for many science domains, distributed graph analytics is critical to many scientists. Unfortunately, obtaining scaling and performance for irregular communication is challenging because contemporary network interconnects are primarily designed to maximize bandwidths of fixed-neighborhoods large-message exchanges (e.g., stencils). Although there is no consensus on the “best” network topologies for irregular communication, unstructured graph-based interconnects can be more suitable. We analyze three popular graph workloads – clustering, pattern enumeration, and traversal — on comparable networks (in terms of resources and costs) constructed from Jellyfish Random Regular, Dragonfly and Fat tree topologies, varying the routing algorithms. Using packet-level simulations, we demonstrate up to 60% improvement in communication time with Jellyfish due to diversity of the short paths between arbitrary endpoints, which can reduce overall network stalls and congestion.

Graph Analytics, network topology, interconnect, H↗

Automatic Extraction of Network Configurations for Realistic Simulation and Validation

Popular HPC network interconnection simulators such as SST Macro provide a variety of configurable parameters to explore the design space of hardware components such as network links and switches. While such knobs provide flexibility to explore design trade-offs for novel hardware, manually configuring simulations for existing hardware to focus on topology exploration can be cumbersome and error-prone, leading to widely inaccurate simulations. This challenge is compounded when specifications of various (proprietary) technologies are not readily available or are intentionally omitted. In this work, we provide a methodology to automatically tune the simulation configuration of the multiple network models running within SST Macro using Bayesian optimization. We perform this optimization in the context of multiple messaging regimes (i.e., small to large and latency to bandwidth-bound messages) and provide a detailed analysis of the simulation error for four systems. With our automated framework, we achieve a 5x improvement in accuracy over best-effort configurations based on available hardware specifications.

Suetterlein, Joshua D.↗

Switching-cycle-based Startup for Grid-connected Inverters

Conventional inverter startups, or grid synchronization, are hindered by slow dynamics and inrush current issues, which impede the integration of more renewable energy resources into the power grid. This paper overcomes the barriers by introducing a novel switching cycle-based startup approach for grid-connected inverters, eliminating the need for voltage sensors and phase-locked loops (PLLs). The proposed method surpasses the bandwidth constraints of traditional PLL-based techniques and achieves grid synchronization in just two switching cycles. Relying solely on sensed three-phase currents, synchronization is accomplished without inrush currents or the need for additional hardware or increased software complexity, resulting in a faster inverter startup. The paper also presents a sensitivity analysis to discuss the impact of critical parameters on the method's accuracy. As a result, the effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated through simulation and experimental results.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Autonomous Wireless Technology Detection in Seamless IoT Applications

The ever-increasing use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices results in the implementation of multiple wireless technologies that would not only cater their data rate requirements but also support various applications. To optimize the energy efficiency and security of the wireless transmission, it is imperative to identify the wireless technologies in various IoT implementations. Many of the existing approaches are based on measuring only the receiving signal strength indicator (RSSI). However, such approaches may not work well because of transmit power control and complex channel variations among different wireless technologies. In this article, we propose an autonomous wireless detection scheme that considers multiple distinguishable physical (PHY)-layer settings for real-time identification of wireless technologies for real-time applications. Specifically, the proposed scheme relies on the PHY-layer measurements of the targeted spectrum. Transmission settings, such as bandwidth, carrier frequency, and RSSI are estimated from the raw in-phase and quadrature-phase (I/Q) measurements. In addition, a symbol-level extraction scheme is implemented to extract unique features of modulation settings. These aforementioned features are applied to a machine learning process to identify the received wireless technologies. Compared with raw I/Q measurements, the extracted features are much simplified and, thus, the machine learning classifier can be designed with a simple structure for fast processing on IoT nodes. Finally, the proposed schemes are primarily evaluated theoretically, followed by implementing them on a USRP software-defined radio (SDR)-based hardware testbed. The evaluation results demonstrate high accuracy in the real-time detection of different wireless technologies for seamless IoT applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A Dynamically-Reconfigurable Burst-Mode Link Using a Nanosecond Photonic Switch

Fast optical circuit switching has great potential to solve scaling issues with traditional packet-switch based networks and improve bandwidth and power efficiency in datacenter and high-performance computing applications. One difficultly in utilizing a fast optical switch is that the optical signal must be rapidly reacquired after each switching event so as to not significantly impact the overall throughput of the system. In this work we present a system-level integration of a nanosecond-scale $2 \times 2$ silicon photonic switch with a 25-Gbps burst-mode receiver that can lock in 31 ns. A novel FPGA-based control plane was used to generate test data, control the silicon photonic switch and burst-mode receiver, and measure bit errors at 12.5 and 20 Gbps. Error-free links (BER $< 10^{-12}$ ) with system-level reconfiguration times below 60 ns (at 20 Gbps) and 90 ns (at 12.5 Gbps) including bit- and frame-synchronization are demonstrated.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Design Methodologies for Integrated Quantum Frequency Processors

We report frequency-encoded quantum information offers intriguing opportunities for quantum communications and networking, with the quantum frequency processor paradigm—based on electro-optic phase modulators and Fourier-transform pulse shapers—providing a path for scalable construction of quantum gates. Yet all experimental demonstrations to date have relied on discrete fiber-optic components that occupy significant physical space and impart appreciable loss. In this article, we introduce a model for the design of quantum frequency processors comprising microring resonator-based pulse shapers and integrated phase modulators. We estimate the performance of single and parallel frequency-bin Hadamard gates, finding high fidelity values that extend to frequency bins with relatively wide bandwidths. By incorporating multi-order filter designs as well, we explore the limits of tight frequency spacings, a regime extremely difficult to obtain in bulk optics. Overall, our model is general, simple to use, and extendable to other material platforms, providing a much-needed design tool for future frequency processors in integrated photonics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Resilient Entanglement Distribution in a Multihop Quantum Network

The evolution of quantum networking requires architectures capable of dynamically reconfigurable entanglement distribution to meet diverse user needs and ensure tolerance against transmission disruptions. We introduce multihop quantum networks to improve network reach and resilience by enabling quantum communications across intermediate nodes, thus broadening network connectivity and increasing scalability. We present multihop two-qubit polarization-entanglement distribution within a quantum network at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory campus. Our system uses wavelength-selective switches for adaptive bandwidth management on a software-defined quantum network that integrates a quantum data plane with classical data and control planes, creating a flexible, reconfigurable mesh. Our network distributes entanglement across six nodes within three subnetworks, each located in a separate building, optimizing quantum state fidelity and transmission rate through adaptive resource management. Additionally, we demonstrate the network's resilience by implementing a link recovery approach that monitors and reroutes quantum resources to maintain service continuity despite link failures—paving the way for scalable and reliable quantum networking infrastructures.

Alshowkan, Muneer [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (↗

Designing an Epitaxially-Integrated DBR for Dislocation Mitigation in Monolithic GaAsP/Si Tandem Solar Cells

This work explores epitaxially-integrated distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) as a strategy to mitigate the impact of threading dislocations on the performance of monolithic GaAs 0.75 P 0.25 /Si tandem solar cells. The constraints present due to materials availability and the optical transmission profile of the GaAs 0.75 P 0.25 top cell require the use of an enhanced bandwidth DBR design achieved by combining two narrow-band DBR’s with different central wavelengths. Here, the impact of this DBR structure on JSC, along with the competing effects of threading dislocation density (TDD), are investigated using a robust, experimentally informed analytical model. Implementing this DBR within the GaAs 0.75 P 0.25 /Si tandem cell structure is predicted to yield a short circuit current enhancement equivalent to an ~1.8× reduction in TDD, providing a clear demonstration of its promise as a design methodology for mitigating the impact of non-negligible defect populations.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Conductive Spray Paint Fabricated Cylindrical Coplanar Waveguide for Noncontact Liquid-Level Sensing

A noncontact liquid-level sensor using a cylindrical coplanar waveguide (CCPW) is proposed. The concept is demonstrated using a prototype device made by directly spraying conductive paint on the outer surface of a glass cylinder. The position of the air–liquid interface is measured using the time-domain reflection (TDR) signal from the CCPW. The geometric parameters of the prototype sensor were optimized using a full-wave simulation tool. The experimental results show that the prototype CCPW-based liquid-level sensor has a resolution of 29.8μm over a range of 210 mm at the sweeping frequency bandwidth of 500 MHz–4 GHz. The tradeoff between the resolution and the measurement range was discussed. The proposed sensor provides a low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, and noncontact method for liquid-level measurement, which has potential applications in fuel storage, chemical production, and wastewater treatment.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Buried-Electrode Hybrid Bonded Thin-Film Lithium Niobate Electro-Optic Mach-Zehnder Modulators

Hybrid bonded silicon nitride thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) at 1310 nm were designed with metal coplanar waveguide electrodes buried in the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) chip. Here, the MZM devices showed greatly improved performance compared to earlier devices of a similar design, and similar performance to comparable MZM devices with gold electrodes made on top of the TFLN layer. Both devices achieve a 3-dB electro-optic bandwidth greater than 110 GHz and voltage-driven optical extinction ratios greater than 28 dB. Half-wave voltage-length products (VπL) of 2.8 and 2.5 V∙ cm were measured for the 0.5 and 0.4 cm long buried metal and top gold electrode MZMs, respectively.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Ultra-Wideband Communications: Interference Challenges and Solutions

The idea of ultra-wideband (UWB) communications for short ranges (up to a few tens of meters) has been around for nearly three decades. However, despite significant efforts by the industry, UWB deployment has not yet reached its predicted potential. This article, thus, seeks to rectify this situation by providing a practical examination of UWB interference conditions. Through a spectrum survey of today's wireless environments, we explore the interference that UWB devices may face from a perspective of outage probability in both high- and low-rate configurations. We find that by suppressing interference, the outage probability can be reduced by one or more orders of magnitude. In the non-line-of-sight channels, in particular, we find that both interference suppression and bandwidth expansion are required to support the minimum data rates suggested in the IEEE802.15.4 series of standards. Here, we connect these findings to a recently proposed UWB signaling method based on filter banks and show this method fulfills the above requirements for implementing effective UWB systems.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

The Persistent Challenge of Data Locality in the Post-Exascale Era

The era of exascale computing, exemplified by systems like Frontier achieving exaflop-level performance, marks a milestone. However, the quest for sheer compute power leads to strong imbalance in system design. Hence, scaling advancements in memory, network bandwidth, and storage are also necessary and pose challenges, with a crucial need to address data locality issues. This article underscores the fundamental importance of data locality as a key abstraction for optimizing application performance. Despite notable software solutions, the growing complexity of parallelism and memory hierarchy demands performance-portable data locality solutions across diverse computing platforms. Additionally, the article revisits data locality aspects, covering hardware considerations, application perspectives, software stack abstractions, and tool support. It concludes with insights into data locality challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the ongoing significance of collaborative research for progress in this critical issue.

Unat, Didem [Koc University, Istanbul (Turkey)] (O↗

Deep Generative Models that Solve PDEs: Distributed Computing for Training Large Data-Free Models

Recent progress in scientific machine learning (SciML) has opened up the possibility of training novel neural network architectures that solve complex partial differential equations (PDEs). Several (nearly data free) approaches have been recently reported that successfully solve PDEs, with examples including deep feed forward networks, generative networks, and deep encoder-decoder networks. However, practical adoption of these approaches is limited by the difficulty in training these models, especially to make predictions at large output resolutions (≥1024×1024). Here we report on a software framework for data parallel distributed deep learning that resolves the twin challenges of training these large SciML models - training in reasonable time as well as distributing the storage requirements. Our framework provides several out of the box functionality including (a) loss integrity independent of number of processes, (b) synchronized batch normalization, and (c) distributed higher-order optimization methods. We show excellent scalability of this framework on both cloud as well as HPC clusters, and report on the interplay between bandwidth, network topology and bare metal vs cloud. We deploy this approach to train generative models of sizes hitherto not possible, showing that neural PDE solvers can be viably trained for practical applications. We also demonstrate that distributed higher-order optimization methods are 2-3× faster than stochastic gradient-based methods and provide minimal convergence drift with higher batch-size.

PDEs↗

Optimizing Non-Terrestrial Hybrid RF/FSO Links With Reinforcement Learning: Navigating Through Clouds

In the pursuit of ubiquitous broadband connectivity, there has been a significant shift towards the vertical expansion of communication networks into space, particularly through the exploitation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, which are favored for their relatively low latency. However, this approach faces many challenges that need to be addressed, including atmospheric turbulence, high path loss, and dynamic cloud formations. High-altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS) have emerged as promising relaying layers between LEO satellites and ground stations, enhancing coverage, latency, and direct terrestrial user connectivity. While radio frequency (RF) bands suffer from congestion and limited bandwidth, free space optical (FSO) communications offer higher data rates, but are susceptible to misalignment and weather-induced signal degradation. To address these challenges, a hybrid RF/FSO approach has been proposed to take advantage of both technologies by dynamic switching between RF and FSO based on propagation channel conditions. This paper introduces a reinforcement learning-based algorithm designed to optimize the trajectory of HAPS, maneuver around cloudy areas, and seamlessly switch between the RF and FSO communication modes to maximize the achievable capacity. The proposed approach aims to maximize system performance by intelligently adapting to environmental conditions and offering a promising solution for next-generation space communication networks.

actor-critic algorithm↗

Case Study of Using Kokkos and SYCLs Performance-Portable Frameworks for Milc-Dslash Benchmark on NVIDIA, AMD and Intel GPUs

Six of the top ten supercomputers in the TOP500 list from June 2021 rely on NVIDIA GPUs to achieve their peak compute bandwidth. With the announcement of Aurora, Frontier, and El Capitan, Intel and AMD have also entered the domain of providing GPUs for scientific computing. A consequence of the increased diversity in the GPU landscape is the emergence of portable programming models such as Kokkos, SYCL, OpenCL, and OpenMP, which allow application developers to maintain a single-source code across a diverse range of hardware architectures. While the portable frameworks try to optimize the compute resource usage on a given architecture, it is the programmers responsibility to expose parallelism in an application that can take advantage of thousands of processing elements available on GPUs. In this paper, we introduce a GPU-friendly parallel implementation of Milc-Dslash that exposes multiple hierarchies of parallelism in the algorithm. Milc-Dslash was designed to serve as a benchmark with highly optimized matrix-vector multiplications to measure the resource utilization on the GPU systems. The parallel hierarchies in the Milc-Dslash algorithm are mapped onto a target hardware using Kokkos and SYCL programming models. We present the performance achieved by Kokkos and SYCL implementations of Milc-Dslash on NVIDIA A100 GPU, AMD MI100 GPU, and Intel Gen9 GPU. Additionally, we compare the Kokkos and SYCL performances with those obtained from the versions written in CUDA and HIP programming models on NVIDIA A100 GPU and AMD MI100 GPU, respectively.

Dufek, Amanda S↗

Understanding Strong Scaling on GPUs Using Empirical Performance Saturation Size

The roofline model provides a concise overview of the maximum performance capabilities of a given computer system through a combination of peak memory bandwidth and compute performance rates. The increasing complexity of scheduling and cache in recent GPUs, however, has introduced complicated performance variability that is not captured by arithmetic intensity alone. This work examines the effect of problem size and GPU launch configurations on roofline performance for V100, A100, MI100, and MI250X graphics processing units. We introduce an extended roofline model that takes problem size into account, and find that strong scaling on GPUs can be characterized by saturation problem sizes as additional key metrics. Saturation problem sizes break up a plot of GPU performance vs. problem size into three distinct performance regimes– size-limited, cache-bound, and DRAM-bound. With our extended roofline model, we are able to provide a robust view of these performance regimes across recent GPU architectures.

Eberius, David↗

GPU Direct I/O with HDF5

Exascale HPC systems are being designed with accelerators, such as GPUs, to accelerate parts of applications. In machine learning workloads as well as large-scale simulations that use GPUs as accelerators, the CPU (or host) memory is currently used as a buffer for data transfers between GPU (or device) memory and the file system. If the CPU does not need to operate on the data, then this is sub-optimal because it wastes host memory by reserving space for duplicated data. Furthermore, this “bounce buffer” approach wastes CPU cycles spent on transferring data. A new technique, NVIDIA GPUDirect Storage (GDS), can eliminate the need to use the host memory as a bounce buffer. Thereby, it becomes possible to transfer data directly between the device memory and the file system. This direct data path shortens latency by omitting the extra copy and enables higher-bandwidth. To take full advantage of GDS in existing applications, it is necessary to provide support with existing I/O libraries, such as HDF5 and MPI-IO, which are heavily used in applications. In this paper, we describe our effort of integrating GDS with HDF5, the top I/O library at NERSC and at DOE leadership computing facilities. We design and implement this integration using a HDF5 Virtual File Driver (VFD). The GDS VFD provides a file system abstraction to the application that allows HDF5 applications to perform I/O without the need to move data between CPUs and GPUs explicitly. We compare performance of the HDF5 GDS VFD with explicit data movement approaches and demonstrate superior performance with the GDS method.

Ravi, J↗

Time and Frequency Analysis of Load Profile Data

Technology advancements and integration of modern advanced metering systems can monitor, forecast, inform, control, and operate the building's mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. They offer a higher level of information, which can contribute to making smart buildings more energy efficient and to making them closer to becoming grid-interactive energy efficient buildings (GEB). This paper builds on the ongoing research on variability analysis of a case study building with a 1-minute load profile and examines the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) process in the frequency domain to quantify the signal's energy in each bandwidth, with respect to each end-use category. Moreover, the amount of variability in the total variability is not similar among the end-use categories. This information is needed to understand the behavior of the variability in the frequency domain for future applications, such as generating synthetic load profiles with a similar frequency spectrum as the measured signal.

decomposition↗