Skeleton PIC Codes for Parallel Computers
Simple Skeleton Particle-in-Cell codes designed for massively parallel computers are described.
parallel computers↗
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Results for “Massive Computation”
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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Numerical simulation of flow past a tapered cylinder
The unsteady three-dimensional low Reynolds number flow past a tapered cylinder is computed. The spanwise variation in natural shedding frequency results in interesting three-dimensional flow phenomena. The computed hot-wire and spectral data are very similar to experimental results. The computation was done on the Connection Machine, a massively parallel computer; highlights of the capabilities of the Connection Machine for computation and visualization of three-dimensional unsteady flow fields are shown.
Jespersen, Dennis C.↗
Numerical Simulation of Flow Past a Tapered Cylinder
We have computed the unsteady three-dimensional low Reynolds number flow past a tapered cylinder. The spanwise variation in natural shedding frequency results in interesting three-dimensional flow phenomena. Our computed hot-wire and spectral data are very similar to experimental results. The computation was done on the Connection Machine, a massively parallel computer, we highlight the capabilities of the Connection Machine, for computation and visualization of three-dimensional unsteady flow fields.
Jespersen, Dennis↗
Signal processing applications of massively parallel charge domain computing devices
The present invention is embodied in a charge coupled device (CCD)/charge injection device (CID) architecture capable of performing a Fourier transform by simultaneous matrix vector multiplication (MVM) operations in respective plural CCD/CID arrays in parallel in O(1) steps. For example, in one embodiment, a first CCD/CID array stores charge packets representing a first matrix operator based upon permutations of a Hartley transform and computes the Fourier transform of an incoming vector. A second CCD/CID array stores charge packets representing a second matrix operator based upon different permutations of a Hartley transform and computes the Fourier transform of an incoming vector. The incoming vector is applied to the inputs of the two CCD/CID arrays simultaneously, and the real and imaginary parts of the Fourier transform are produced simultaneously in the time required to perform a single MVM operation in a CCD/CID array.
Fijany, Amir↗
A new parallel-vector finite element analysis software on distributed-memory computers
A new parallel-vector finite element analysis software package MPFEA (Massively Parallel-vector Finite Element Analysis) is developed for large-scale structural analysis on massively parallel computers with distributed-memory. MPFEA is designed for parallel generation and assembly of the global finite element stiffness matrices as well as parallel solution of the simultaneous linear equations, since these are often the major time-consuming parts of a finite element analysis. Block-skyline storage scheme along with vector-unrolling techniques are used to enhance the vector performance. Communications among processors are carried out concurrently with arithmetic operations to reduce the total execution time. Numerical results on the Intel iPSC/860 computers (such as the Intel Gamma with 128 processors and the Intel Touchstone Delta with 512 processors) are presented, including an aircraft structure and some very large truss structures, to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of MPFEA.
Qin, Jiangning↗
Design Space Exploration for MDO on a Teraflop Computer
The objective of this project was to make efficient use of massively parallel computation for exploration of high-dimensional aircraft-configuration design space.
Grossman, Bernard↗
A Strassen-Newton algorithm for high-speed parallelizable matrix inversion
Techniques are described for computing matrix inverses by algorithms that are highly suited to massively parallel computation. The techniques are based on an algorithm suggested by Strassen (1969). Variations of this scheme use matrix Newton iterations and other methods to improve the numerical stability while at the same time preserving a very high level of parallelism. One-processor Cray-2 implementations of these schemes range from one that is up to 55 percent faster than a conventional library routine to one that is slower than a library routine but achieves excellent numerical stability. The problem of computing the solution to a single set of linear equations is discussed, and it is shown that this problem can also be solved efficiently using these techniques.
Bailey, David H.↗
Parallelized direct execution simulation of message-passing parallel programs
As massively parallel computers proliferate, there is growing interest in findings ways by which performance of massively parallel codes can be efficiently predicted. This problem arises in diverse contexts such as parallelizing computers, parallel performance monitoring, and parallel algorithm development. In this paper we describe one solution where one directly executes the application code, but uses a discrete-event simulator to model details of the presumed parallel machine such as operating system and communication network behavior. Because this approach is computationally expensive, we are interested in its own parallelization specifically the parallelization of the discrete-event simulator. We describe methods suitable for parallelized direct execution simulation of message-passing parallel programs, and report on the performance of such a system, Large Application Parallel Simulation Environment (LAPSE), we have built on the Intel Paragon. On all codes measured to date, LAPSE predicts performance well typically within 10 percent relative error. Depending on the nature of the application code, we have observed low slowdowns (relative to natively executing code) and high relative speedups using up to 64 processors.
Dickens, Phillip M.↗
Turbulence modeling of free shear layers for high performance aircraft
In many flowfield computations, accuracy of the turbulence model employed is frequently a limiting factor in the overall accuracy of the computation. This is particularly true for complex flowfields such as those around full aircraft configurations. Free shear layers such as wakes, impinging jets (in V/STOL applications), and mixing layers over cavities are often part of these flowfields. Although flowfields have been computed for full aircraft, the memory and CPU requirements for these computations are often excessive. Additional computer power is required for multidisciplinary computations such as coupled fluid dynamics and conduction heat transfer analysis. Massively parallel computers show promise in alleviating this situation, and the purpose of this effort was to adapt and optimize CFD codes to these new machines. The objective of this research effort was to compute the flowfield and heat transfer for a two-dimensional jet impinging normally on a cool plate. The results of this research effort were summarized in an AIAA paper titled 'Parallel Implementation of the k-epsilon Turbulence Model'. Appendix A contains the full paper.
Sondak, Douglas↗
Aerodynamic optimization studies on advanced architecture computers
The approach to carrying out multi-discipline aerospace design studies in the future, especially in massively parallel computing environments, comprises of choosing (1) suitable solvers to compute solutions to equations characterizing a discipline, and (2) efficient optimization methods. In addition, for aerodynamic optimization problems, (3) smart methodologies must be selected to modify the surface shape. In this research effort, a 'direct' optimization method is implemented on the Cray C-90 to improve aerodynamic design. It is coupled with an existing implicit Navier-Stokes solver, OVERFLOW, to compute flow solutions. The optimization method is chosen such that it can accomodate multi-discipline optimization in future computations. In the work , however, only single discipline aerodynamic optimization will be included.
Chawla, Kalpana↗
Directions in parallel programming: HPF, shared virtual memory and object parallelism in pC++
Fortran and C++ are the dominant programming languages used in scientific computation. Consequently, extensions to these languages are the most popular for programming massively parallel computers. We discuss two such approaches to parallel Fortran and one approach to C++. The High Performance Fortran Forum has designed HPF with the intent of supporting data parallelism on Fortran 90 applications. HPF works by asking the user to help the compiler distribute and align the data structures with the distributed memory modules in the system. Fortran-S takes a different approach in which the data distribution is managed by the operating system and the user provides annotations to indicate parallel control regions. In the case of C++, we look at pC++ which is based on a concurrent aggregate parallel model.
Bodin, Francois↗
Advanced computing
Advanced concepts in hardware, software and algorithms are being pursued for application in next generation space computers and for ground based analysis of space data. The research program focuses on massively parallel computation and neural networks, as well as optical processing and optical networking which are discussed under photonics. Also included are theoretical programs in neural and nonlinear science, and device development for magnetic and ferroelectric memories.
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Finite element structural analysis and optimization of space frames and trusses in a massively parallel environment
A set of massively parallel computational procedures are formulated to make finite element method based space frame and truss structural response analyses and stochastic method based structural optimization solution superefficient. Several example frame structural analysis and truss optimization problems are presented for demonstration purposes. All calculations are made on the massively parallel environment of CM-2 computer.
Shieh, Rong C.↗
Nonlinear structural analysis on distributed-memory computers
A computational strategy is presented for the nonlinear static and postbuckling analyses of large complex structures on massively parallel computers. The strategy is designed for distributed-memory, message-passing parallel computer systems. The key elements of the proposed strategy are: (1) a multiple-parameter reduced basis technique; (2) a nested dissection (or multilevel substructuring) ordering scheme; (3) parallel assembly of global matrices; and (4) a parallel sparse equation solver. The effectiveness of the strategy is assessed by applying it to thermo-mechanical postbuckling analyses of stiffened composite panels with cutouts, and nonlinear large-deflection analyses of HSCT models on Intel Paragon XP/S computers. The numerical studies presented demonstrate the advantages of nested dissection-based solvers over traditional skyline-based solvers on distributed memory machines.
Watson, Brian C.↗
CMOS VLSI Layout and Verification of a SIMD Computer
A CMOS VLSI layout and verification of a 3 x 3 processor parallel computer has been completed. The layout was done using the MAGIC tool and the verification using HSPICE. Suggestions for expanding the computer into a million processor network are presented. Many problems that might be encountered when implementing a massively parallel computer are discussed.
Zheng, Jianqing↗
Algorithmic trends in computational fluid dynamics; The Institute for Computer Applications in Science and Engineering (ICASE)/LaRC Workshop, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, US, Sep. 15-17, 1991
The purpose here is to assess the state of the art in the areas of numerical analysis that are particularly relevant to computational fluid dynamics (CFD), to identify promising new developments in various areas of numerical analysis that will impact CFD, and to establish a long-term perspective focusing on opportunities and needs. Overviews are given of discretization schemes, computational fluid dynamics, algorithmic trends in CFD for aerospace flow field calculations, simulation of compressible viscous flow, and massively parallel computation. Also discussed are accerelation methods, spectral and high-order methods, multi-resolution and subcell resolution schemes, and inherently multidimensional schemes.
Hussaini, M. Y.↗
Performance Evaluation in Network-Based Parallel Computing
Network-based parallel computing is emerging as a cost-effective alternative for solving many problems which require use of supercomputers or massively parallel computers. The primary objective of this project has been to conduct experimental research on performance evaluation for clustered parallel computing. First, a testbed was established by augmenting our existing SUNSPARCs' network with PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) which is a software system for linking clusters of machines. Second, a set of three basic applications were selected. The applications consist of a parallel search, a parallel sort, a parallel matrix multiplication. These application programs were implemented in C programming language under PVM. Third, we conducted performance evaluation under various configurations and problem sizes. Alternative parallel computing models and workload allocations for application programs were explored. The performance metric was limited to elapsed time or response time which in the context of parallel computing can be expressed in terms of speedup. The results reveal that the overhead of communication latency between processes in many cases is the restricting factor to performance. That is, coarse-grain parallelism which requires less frequent communication between processes will result in higher performance in network-based computing. Finally, we are in the final stages of installing an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switch and four ATM interfaces (each 155 Mbps) which will allow us to extend our study to newer applications, performance metrics, and configurations.
Dezhgosha, Kamyar↗
Linear static structural and vibration analysis on high-performance computers
Parallel computers offer the oppurtunity to significantly reduce the computation time necessary to analyze large-scale aerospace structures. This paper presents algorithms developed for and implemented on massively-parallel computers hereafter referred to as Scalable High-Performance Computers (SHPC), for the most computationally intensive tasks involved in structural analysis, namely, generation and assembly of system matrices, solution of systems of equations and calculation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Results on SHPC are presented for large-scale structural problems (i.e. models for High-Speed Civil Transport). The goal of this research is to develop a new, efficient technique which extends structural analysis to SHPC and makes large-scale structural analyses tractable.
Baddourah, M. A.↗