Applying Sparse Matrix Solvers to a Glacial Ice Sheet Model

- Two software packages for solving sparse systems of linear equations, SuperLU and UMFPACK, have been integrated with the University of Maine Ice Sheet Model for predicting the formation and disappearance of glacial ice sheets. Using a library of basic linear algebra subprograms, BLAS, tuned for the underlying hardware, these packages perform significantly better than our banded Gaussian elimination routine. Also, they are able to solve non-banded systems that can be produced by the ice sheet model, but are impractical to solve with straightforward Gaussian elimination. A modified compressed column data structure is presented for interfacing the ice sheet model with the two software packages. Test results are presented that indicate careful consideration must be given to the column ordering methods used by the packages when solving specific problems. An additional complication in the 3D model is internal pressure within the ice sheet. In one version of the model the internal pressure ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: CSC
• Authors: Rodney Jacobs, James Fastook, Aitbala Sargent
• Keywords: CSC 2006, CSC 2007, Ice Sheet, Ice Sheet Model, Linear Equations