Supercomputers Supercharge Research

Scientists with big questions to benefit more from DOE's two behemoths

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted May 1, 2009 11:17 AM CDT

(Newser) – It's easier than ever before to get some quality time with one of the most powerful computers on Earth. The Department of Energy has increased the performance of two of its supercomputers more than fivefold, making 900 million processor-hours available to scientists, reports Wired. Expect that boost to lead to some seriously cool—and complicated—science.

“These are the only places in the world where you can do these types of simulations,” says a supernova researcher. "In the case of stars and dark matter, there’s a lot of physics going on." That physics includes investigations of galaxies, the dark matter surrounding the Milky Way, alternative fuels, and even weather. The research "would not be possible without petascale computing," says a DOE rep.

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Some of the 284 computer cabinets making up the Department of Energy's Jaguar supercomputer in Oak Ridge, TN. (AP Photo/Oak Ridge Nat. Lab)

Lead engineer Don Grice of IBM inspects the world's fastest computer, nicknamed "Roadrunner", in the company's Poughkeepsie, N.Y. plant. (AP Photo/IBM, Feature Photo Service)

Simulating the evolution of galaxies is one of the tasks that requires massive computing power, on the order of petaflops. (AP Photo/NASA)

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We’re using simulations to basically pick a neutrino and ride along as it flies out of the star... We’re finally starting to see some hints of what’s happening, and we’re pretty jazzed about it. - Bronson Messer, who is studying supernovae with ORNL

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Supercomputers Supercharge Research