Leading Computational Methods on Scalar and Vector HEC Platforms

The last decade has witnessed a rapid proliferation of superscalar cache-based microprocessors to build high-end computing (HEC) platforms, primarily because of their generality, scalability, and cost effectiveness. However, the growing gap between sustained and peak performance for full-scale scientific applications on conventional supercomputers has become a major concern in high performance computing, requiring significantly larger systems and application scalability than implied by peak performance in order to achieve desired performance. The latest generation of custom-built parallel vector systems have the potential to address this issue for numerical algorithms with sufficient regularity in their computational structure. In this work we explore applications drawn from four areas: atmospheric modeling (CAM), magnetic fusion (GTC), plasma physics (LBMHD3D), and material science (PARATEC). We compare performance of the vector-based Cray X1, Earth Simulator, and newly-released N...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: SC
• Authors: Leonid Oliker, Jonathan Carter, Michael F. Wehner, Andrew Canning, Stéphane Ethier, Art Mirin, David Parks, Patrick H. Worley, Shigemune Kitawaki, Yoshinori Tsuda
• Keywords: Applied Computing, Peak Performance, SC 2005, Superscalar Cache-based Microprocessors, first Reported Vector