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Unification of finite symmetries in the simulation of many-body systems on quantum computers

Symmetry is fundamental in the description and simulation of quantum systems. Leveraging symmetries in classical simulations of many-body quantum systems can result in significant overhead due to the exponentially growing size of some symmetry groups as the number of particles increases. Quantum computers hold the promise of achieving exponential speedup in simulating quantum many-body systems; however, a general method for utilizing symmetries in quantum simulations has not yet been established. In this work, we present a unified framework for incorporating symmetry group transforms on quantum computers to simulate many-body systems. The core of our approach lies in the development of efficient quantum circuits for symmetry-adapted projection onto irreducible representations of a group or pairs of commuting groups. We provide resource estimations for common groups, including the cyclic and permutation groups. Our algorithms demonstrate the capability to prepare coherent superpositions of symmetry-adapted states and to perform quantum evolution across a wide range of models in condensed-matter physics and ab initio electronic structure in quantum chemistry. Specifically, we execute a symmetry-adapted quantum subroutine for small molecules in first-quantization on noisy hardware and demonstrate the emulation of symmetry-adapted quantum phase estimation for preparing coherent superpositions of quantum states in various irreducible representations of a symmetry group. In addition, we present a discussion of open problems regarding treating symmetries in digital quantum simulations of many-body systems, paving the way for future systematic investigations into leveraging symmetries quantumly for practical quantum advantage. The broad applicability and rigorous resource estimation for symmetry transformations make our framework appealing for achieving provable quantum advantage on fault-tolerant quantum computers, especially for symmetry-related properties.

quantum algorithms

Radiative processes on a quantum computer

Radiative processes, where a photon/neutrino is emitted as a result of a collision or decay of a particle, play a central role in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics. Their rate is determined by certain off-diagonal matrix elements between different initial and final states. We propose a method to compute them using quantum computers. It relies on a single extra qubit that, in a certain sense, represents the photon/neutrino. The generic formula relating this matrix element to the amplitude and frequency of oscillations of the extra qubit is derived for the near-resonance case. Furthermore, we demonstrate the feasibility of the method by using it in actual quantum computations and simulations of simple systems.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS

Ecosystems for Scientific Computing in the Age of AI

Scientific computing is at an inflection point. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how scientific software is developed, how teams collaborate, how projects are governed, and how the next generation is trained. Drawing on insights from a 2025 workshop report, this article argues that the future of discovery will depend on agile, robust ecosystems built through socio-technical co-design—the intentional integration of technical and human systems. This perspective is essential for ensuring that future scientific computing remains trustworthy, sustainable, and scalable. It combines advances in AI, high-performance computing, and software with new models for cross-disciplinary collaboration, education, and workforce development. Key recommendations include building modular, trustworthy AI-enabled software ecosystems; enabling teams to integrate AI into scientific workflows while preserving human creativity, integrity, and rigor; and developing adaptive training pathways that keep pace with rapid technological change. By sharing these perspectives, we hope to stimulate broader community dialogue and encourage coordinated action.

AI

Enhancing ACPF Analysis: Integrating Newton-Raphson Method with Gradient Descent and Computational Graphs

This paper presents a new method for enhancing Alternating Current Power Flow (ACPF) analysis. The method integrates the Newton-Raphson (NR) method with Enhanced-Gradient Descent (GD) and computational graphs. The integration of renewable energy sources in power systems introduces variability and unpredictability, and this method addresses these challenges. It leverages the robustness of NR for accurate approximations and the flexibility of GD for handling variable conditions, all without requiring Jacobian matrix inversion. Furthermore, computational graphs provide a structured and visual framework that simplifies and systematizes the application of these methods. The goal of this fusion is to overcome the limitations of traditional ACPF methods and improve the resilience, adaptability, and efficiency of modern power grid analyses. We validate the effectiveness of our advanced algorithm through comprehensive testing on established IEEE benchmark systems. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that our approach not only speeds up the convergence process but also ensures consistent performance across diverse system states, representing a significant advancement in power flow computation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

FIRE: A Failure-Adaptive RL Framework for Edge Computing Migrations

In edge computing, users' service profiles are migrated between edge servers due to user mobility. Reinforcement Learning (RL) frameworks have been proposed to do so, often trained on simulated data. However, existing RL frameworks overlook occasional server failures, which although rare, impact latency-sensitive applications like AR/VR and real- time obstacle detection. These rare failures, being not adequately represented in historical training data, pose a challenge for data-driven RL algorithms. We introduce FIRE, a framework that adapts to rare events by training a RL policy in an edge computing digital twin environment. We propose FIRE-ImRE, an importance sampling-based Q-learning algorithm, which samples rare events proportionally to their impact on the value function. FIRE considers delay, migration, failure, and backup placement costs across individual and shared service profiles. We prove FIRE-ImRE's boundedness and convergence to optimality. Next, we introduce novel deep Q-learning (FIRE-ImDQL) and actor critic (FIRE-ImACRE) versions of our algorithm to enhance scalability. Here, we extend our framework to accommodate users with varying risk tolerances of rare failure events. Through trace-driven experiments, we show that FIRE reduces edge computing costs compared to vanilla RL and the greedy baseline in the event of failures.

Edge computing

Beyond-classical computation in quantum simulation

Quantum computers hold the promise of solving certain problems that lie beyond the reach of conventional computers. However, establishing this capability, especially for impactful and meaningful problems, remains a central challenge. Here, we show that superconducting quantum annealing processors can rapidly generate samples in close agreement with solutions of the Schrödinger equation. We demonstrate area-law scaling of entanglement in the model quench dynamics of two-, three-, and infinite-dimensional spin glasses, supporting the observed stretched-exponential scaling of effort for matrix-product-state approaches. We show that several leading approximate methods based on tensor networks and neural networks cannot achieve the same accuracy as the quantum annealer within a reasonable time frame. Thus, quantum annealers can answer questions of practical importance that may remain out of reach for classical computation.

King, Andrew D. [D-Wave Quantum Inc., Burnaby, BC

Generalized Bayesian MARS: Tools for Stochastic Computer Model Emulation

The multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) approach of Friedman and its Bayesian counterpart are effective approaches for the emulation of computer models. The traditional assumption of Gaussian errors limits the usefulness of MARS, and many popular alternatives, when dealing with stochastic computer models. Here, we propose a generalized Bayesian MARS (GBMARS) framework which admits the broad class of generalized hyperbolic distributions as the induced likelihood function. This allows us to develop tools for the emulation of stochastic simulators which are parsimonious, scalable, and interpretable and require minimal tuning, while providing powerful predictive and uncertainty quantification capabilities. GBMARS is capable of robust regression with t distributions, quantile regression with asymmetric Laplace distributions, and a general form of “Normal-Wald” regression in which the shape of the error distribution and the structure of the mean function are learned simultaneously. We demonstrate the effectiveness of GBMARS on various stochastic computer models, and we show that it compares favorably to several popular alternatives.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Establishing model credibility for process-microstructure-property relationships in additive manufacturing using exascale computing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) of alloys holds significant promise as a disruptive technology in various industries, yet its adoption is often hindered by challenges in achieving consistent part quality. These issues are primarily due to the complex process-microstructure-property (PSP) relationships inherent to AM. Computational models can greatly aid in understanding these relationships, but their widespread impact and adoption has been limited by a lack of validated, open-source, and computationally efficient PSP modeling frameworks and hardware limitations. Here, this study leverages the ExaAM software suite and data from the AMBench-2018 series of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) benchmark experiments to perform a comprehensive model assessment, including verification, validation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty quantification. The RADICAL-EnTK workflow manager was used to perform an ensemble of heat transport, solidification, and mechanical response simulations on the exascale computer Frontier, considering uncertainties in critical model inputs such as laser spot size and nucleation parameters, and consisting of 125 explicit grain structure simulations and 7875 crystal plasticity simulations. For a selected location within the Inconel 625 AMBench-2018 test artifact, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification were performed using the predicted distributions of grain structure and mechanical properties. Qualitative agreement was found between the predicted grain size and texture and the observed AMBench-2018 microstructure, the mean predicted yield stress was within 5% of the experimental measurement mean, and the mean predicted engineering stress at 5% strain was within 10% of the experimental measurement mean. The insights gained from development and validation of the ExaAM PSP modeling framework will help guide future directions for enhancing the credibility and reliability of PSP models in AM, thereby accelerating the adoption of AM technologies in various industries.

Additive manufacturing

Evaluating crown scorch predictions from a computational fluid dynamics wildland fire simulator

Abstract Background Crown scorch—the heating of live leaves, needles, and buds in the vegetative canopy to lethal temperatures without widespread combustion—is one of the most common fire effects shaping post-fire canopies. Despite the ability of computational fluid dynamic models to finely resolve fire activity and buoyant plume dynamics including heterogenous 3D distributions of forest canopy heating, these models have had only limited use in simulating fire effects and have not been used to evaluate crown scorch. Here, we demonstrate a method of evaluating crown scorch using a computational fluid dynamics model, FIRETEC, and validate this approach by simulating the experiments that were used to develop Van Wagner’s 1973 crown scorch model. Results The average scorch height prediction from FIRETEC compares well with the empirical model derived by Van Wagner, which is the most widely used empirical model for crown scorch. We further find that the 3D buoyant plume dynamics from a steady and homogeneous idealized heat source on the ground results in a spatially heterogenous crown scorch pattern reflecting complex heating dynamics that are best represented by percent scorch rather than height of scorch. Conclusions The ability of the computational fluid dynamics model to capture variation in crown scorch due to 3D buoyant plume dynamics provides direct links between forest structure, fire behavior, and fire effects that can be used by forest managers and researchers to better understand how fires result in crown damage under various environmental and management scenarios.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

The U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, 1991-2021: Follow-Up Study Shows Major Impact on Recipients and the Scientific Workforce

Since 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) has addressed DOE National Laboratory needs as well as demands in the national workforce for trained professionals in computational science and engineering. Sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Science and the National Nuclear Security Administration, the DOE CSGF supports doctoral students in the pursuit of novel scientific or engineering discoveries using high-performance computing (HPC) resources. To meet the program’s core requirements, recipients participate in multidisciplinary studies, carry out at least one 12-week DOE laboratory research practicum, and contribute to an annual program review where the fellows present their research for sponsor review. The Krell Institute, which as managed the fellowship on behalf of the DOE since 1997, has commissioned several follow-up studies to examine the DOE CSGF recipients’ characteristics, fellows’ outcomes and professional accomplishments, alumni’s career paths and achievements, and recipients’ impact on national priorities through research and education.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

The U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, 1991-2021: Follow-Up Study Shows Major Impact on Recipients and the Scientific Workforce

Since 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) has addressed DOE National Laboratory needs as well as demands in the national workforce for trained professionals in computational science and engineering. Sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Science and the National Nuclear Security Administration, the DOE CSGF supports doctoral students in the pursuit of novel scientific or engineering discoveries using high-performance computing (HPC) resources. To meet the program’s core requirements, recipients participate in multidisciplinary studies, carry out at least one 12-week DOE laboratory research practicum, and contribute to an annual program review where the fellows present their research for sponsor review. The Krell Institute, which as managed the fellowship on behalf of the DOE since 1997, has commissioned several follow-up studies to examine the DOE CSGF recipients’ characteristics, fellows’ outcomes and professional accomplishments, alumni’s career paths and achievements, and recipients’ impact on national priorities through research and education.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Medial axis and local thickness computation using the Fast Sweeping Method

This report describes an efficient and robust voxel-based methodology for computing the medial axis, local thickness, and distance-to-skeleton of arbitrary three-dimensional geometries. It is assumed that the object can be represented by an exact or approximate signed distance function on a discrete grid. The gradient of such function is used to formulate a hyperbolic partial differential equation (PDE) that models the collapse of the position vector in space. By exploiting the causality property of the PDE, the Fast Sweeping Method is able to obtain the solution in a finite number of sweeps independent of the mesh resolution. The intersection of characteristic lines leads to the formation of shocks and a discrete bisector function is used to identify the medial axis. The same PDE approach is used to compute the local thickness inside the object and obtain the distance-to-skeleton field. Multiple examples are given in two and three dimensions along with a resolution study. The methodology has optimal complexity and yields subsecond computational times for geometries with over a million zones on a single core. The methodology is also capable of parallelization across shared and distributed memory architectures.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Georgia Tech Accelerated, Compressed, and Regularized Compute of Kinetic-based PDEs (Final Report)

This report summarizes the collaborative effort between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Georgia Tech to enhance the BoBa library for tensor train computation in PDE solvers, with a target on kinetic equations and their continuum limits. We aimed to reduce computational cost and memory usage by replacing traditional array-based computations with tensor trains. We examined the compressibility of time-evolving solutions to the Euler equations with discontinuities. We also explored using the first invsicid and linear regularization of the compressible flow equations via the information geometric regularization (IGR). We explored this in a tensor train formulation. To identify that inverse terms in the IGR equations pose problems for tensor train formulations and investigate efficient methods for batched inversion of tensor trains.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Unconventional Quantum Advantages for Computation (U-QuAC)

While quantum computing offers the promise of exponential advantages, limited quantum speedups are known, especially for practical applications. To open new avenues for quantum advantages, we propose Unconventional Quantum Advantages for Computation (U-QuACs), with respect to unconventional resources such as space (number of bits or quantum bits of memory required to solve a problem), accuracy of solution, communication, or energy consumption. We focus on space-efficient quantum algorithms, where we seek to design algorithms that solve a problem using much less space than the total size of the input. A natural setting in which space is critical is the streaming model of computation, where the input data arrives sequentially in pieces that must each be processed individually. Streaming is motivated by a variety of problems including analysis of internet traffic or social networks. We design the first exponential quantum space advantage for a natural streaming problem, which also constitutes the first quantum advantage for approximating a discrete optimization problem, albeit with respect to space.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Advanced Simulation and Computing: FY25 Implementation Plan

The DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) is an integrated technical program for maintaining the safety, security, and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. The SSP incorporates nuclear test data, computational modeling and simulation, and experimental facilities to advance understanding of nuclear weapons. The suite of data analyzed comes from activities including previous nuclear tests, stockpile surveillance, experimental research, and development and engineering programs. This integrated national program requires the continued use of experimental facilities and the computational capabilities to support the SSP missions. These component parts, in addition to an appropriately scaled production capability, enable NNSA to support stockpile requirements. The ultimate goal of the SSP, and thus of the Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) program, is to ensure that the U.S. maintains a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING

Developing Capabilities in Physical and Computational Sciences

The Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate (PCSD) performs fundamental research in support of the science missions of Offices of Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR), High Energy Physics (HEP), Nuclear Physics (NP), and Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), and others within the domains of the chemical, materials, computational sciences, mathematics, and physics. This LDRD project aims to provide funding to develop/demonstrate research capabilities for proposals and publications to support these science missions. Staff will propose small research tasks/projects to be performed under this overall project.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Report for the 2024 ASCR Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science

In September 2024, the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research pro gram convened a Workshop on Energy-Efficient Computing for Science to address the critical research challenges and opportunities in this field. The workshop brought together experts from academia, government, and industry to explore innovative approaches to improve energy efficiency across the computing stack over the next two decades. Participants identified five priority research directions (PRDs) that emphasize the need for a holistic approach.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI

R-Adaptivity to Enable Compression of Elementary Computations in Extreme-Scale Finite Element Simulators

Modern computing systems are capable of exascale calculations, which are revolutionizing the development and application of high-fidelity numerical models in computational science and engineering. While these systems continue to grow in processing power, the available system memory has not increased commensurately, and electrical power consumption continues to grow. A predominant approach to limit the memory usage in large-scale applications is to exploit the abundant processing power and continually recompute many low-level simulation quantities, rather than storing them. However, this approach can adversely impact the throughput of the simulation and diminish the benefits of modern computing architectures. We present three novel contributions to reduce the memory burden while maintaining, and sometimes improving, performance in simulations based on finite element discretizations. The first contribution develops dictionary-based data compression schemes that detect and exploit the structure of the discretization, due to redundancies across the finite element mesh. While these schemes are shown to reduce memory requirements by more than 99% on meshes with large numbers of identical mesh cells, there are applications where this structure does not exist. The second contribution leverages a recently developed augmented Lagrangian optimization algorithm to enable r-adaptivity for meshes with the goal of enhancing the redundancies in the mesh. The third contribution extends these methods to patch-based linear solvers and preconditioners by compressing local matrices. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods to detect, enhance and exploit mesh structure on a suite of examples inspired by large-scale applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING