DOE research in utilization of high-performance computers

Abstract

Department of Energy (DOE) and other Government research laboratories depend on high-performance computer systems to accomplish their programmatic goals. As the most powerful computer systems become available, they are acquired by these laboratories so that advances can be made in their disciplines. These advances are often the result of added sophistication to numerical models whose execution is made possible by high-performance computer systems. However, high-performance computer systeas have become increasingly complex, and consequently it has become increasingly difficult to realize their potential performance. The result is a need for research on issues related to the utilization of these systems. This report gives a brief description of high-performance computers, and then addresses (1) the use of and future needs for high-performance computers within DOE, (2) the growing complexity of applications within DOE and (3) areas of high-performance computer systems warranting research. Discussed below are specific DOE programs for which high-performance computers are invaluable and for which additional computer capability is needed.

Monte Carlo methods for radiation transport analysis on vector computers

“…Since the invention of high-speed digital computers roughly 40 years ago, there has been a continued dramatic increase in computational power, as evidenced by Fig. 2 (Buzbee et al, 1980). Today's fastest computers can execute hundreds of MFLOPs (millions of floating-point operations per second).…”