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Paper: Challenges of Extreme Computing Using the FLASH Code
Volume: 385, Numerical Modeling of Space Plasma Flows: Astronum-2007
Page: 145
Authors: Dubey, A.; Fisher, R.; Graziani, C.; Jordan, G.C. IV; Lamb, D.Q.; Reid, L.B.; Rich, P.; Sheeler, D.; Townsley, D.; Weide, K.
Abstract: FLASH is a modular, adaptive mesh, parallel simulation framework capable of handling the compressible, reactive flows found in many astrophysical environments. FLASH was recently used in a series of three-dimensional simulations of the gravitationally confined detonation mechanism for Type Ia supernovae on IBM SP-5 platforms at LLNL and NERSC on up to 768 processors. The simulations used multiple physics components, such as hydrodynamics, Newtonian self-gravity, and a sub-grid flame model on an Eulerian adaptive grid. The simulations also used Lagrangian tracer particles to track the nucleosynthetic history. These simulations were a huge challenge not only because of the computational complexity of the problem, but also because of resource constraints. Some components, such as the gravity solver and flame model, had to be algorithmically optimized to increase time efficiency. Other components, such as the tracer particles distribution, grid management, and refinement patterns, were carefully tuned to optimize the memory usage and parallel efficiency.
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