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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 253 records · Page 14

A Fault-oblivious Extreme-scale Execution Environment

Exascale computing systems will provide a thousand-fold increase in parallelism and a proportional increase in failure rate relative to today's machines. Systems software for exascale machines must provide the infrastructure to support existing applications while simultaneously enabling efficient execution of new programming models that naturally express dynamic, adaptive, irregular computation; coupled simulations; and massive data analysis in a highly unreliable hardware environment with billions of threads of execution. We propose a new approach to the data and work distribution model provided by system software based on the unifying formalism of an abstract file system. The proposed hierarchical data model provides simple, familiar visibility and access to data structures through the file system hierarchy, while providing fault tolerance through selective redundancy. The hierarchical task model features work queues whose form and organization are represented as file system objects. Data and work are both first class entities. By exposing the relationships between data and work to the runtime system, information is available to optimize execution time and provide fault tolerance. The data distribution scheme provides replication (where desirable and possible) for fault tolerance and efficiency, and it is hierarchical to make it possible to take advantage of locality. The user, tools, and applications, including legacy applications, can interface with the data, work queues, and one another through the abstract file model. This runtime environment will provide multiple interfaces to support traditional Message Passing Interface applications, languages developed under DARPA's High Productivity Computing Systems program, as well as other, experimental programming models. We will validate our runtime system with pilot codes on existing platforms and will use simulation to validate for exascale-class platforms. In this final report, we summarize research results from the work done at the Ohio State University towards the larger goals of the project listed above.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

An accurate and efficient algorithm for detection of radio bursts with an unknown dispersion measure, for single-dish telescopes and interferometers

Astronomical radio signals are subjected to phase dispersion while traveling through the interstellar medium. To optimally detect a short-duration signal within a frequency band, we have to precisely compensate for the unknown pulse dispersion, which is a computationally demanding task. We present the “fast dispersion measure transform” algorithm for optimal detection of such signals. Our algorithm has a low theoretical complexity of 2N{sub f}N{sub t}+N{sub t}N{sub Δ}log{sub 2}(N{sub f}), where N{sub f}, N{sub t}, and N{sub Δ} are the numbers of frequency bins, time bins, and dispersion measure bins, respectively. Unlike previously suggested fast algorithms, our algorithm conserves the sensitivity of brute-force dedispersion. Our tests indicate that this algorithm, running on a standard desktop computer and implemented in a high-level programming language, is already faster than the state-of-the-art dedispersion codes running on graphical processing units (GPUs). We also present a variant of the algorithm that can be efficiently implemented on GPUs. The latter algorithm’s computation and data-transport requirements are similar to those of a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform, indicating that incoherent dedispersion can now be considered a nonissue while planning future surveys. We further present a fast algorithm for sensitive detection of pulses shorter than the dispersive smearing limits of incoherent dedispersion. In typical cases, this algorithm is orders of magnitude faster than enumerating dispersion measures and coherently dedispersing by convolution. We analyze the computational complexity of pulsed signal searches by radio interferometers. We conclude that, using our suggested algorithms, maximally sensitive blind searches for dispersed pulses are feasible using existing facilities. We provide an implementation of these algorithms in Python and MATLAB.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Teaching Software Sustainability for High Performance Computing at ATPESC

The Argonne Training Program in Extreme Scale Computing (ATPESC) was started by Argonne National Laboratory with the objective of expanding the ranks of better-prepared users of high-performance computing (HPC) machines. One of the unique aspects of the program was inclusion of a track on software engineering and community codes. The inclusion was motivated by the observation that the projects with good software processes were better able to meet their scientific goals. Over the years, with greater awareness of software sustainability issues in the community, the track has evolved into a software productivity and sustainability track. In this paper we present our experience in choosing and disseminating the content related to the topic of software engineering in high performance computing science from the beginning of the program until now. We discuss the motivations and the reception of the tracks. We also document the evolution of the track over the years based on student feedback and also the growth of awareness about software productivity in high performance computing.

Dubey, Anshu↗

Preliminary Design of the TEX-MOX Criticality Experimental Program using Optimization Algorithms Implemented in the IRSN PROMETHEE Tool

In the frame of its missions, IRSN is widely involved in design, evaluation and analyses of critical experiments in order to contribute to computer codes and nuclear data validation. The work described in this paper was carried out in the framework of the PRINCESS IRSN research project and is part of the IRSN/LLNL collaboration on the TEX program in the frame of the NCSP. The need for epithermal and intermediate energy range critical benchmarks is an established international criticality safety data need, underpinned by the subsequent use of data assimilation methods like GLLSM to reduce Nuclear Data uncertainties. The goal of the TEX program is to address this need by executing experiments with NCSP fissile assets, which can be used to create critical assemblies that span a wide range of fission energy spectra, from the thermal energy range (below 0.625 eV), through the intermediate energy range (0.625 eV to 100 keV), to the fast one (above 100 keV). The TEX program involves different materials of interest, such as TEX-Ta experiments using plutonium ZPPR plates proposed by LLNL. This paper presents an overview of the studies performed at IRSN using numerical optimization algorithms for the design of critical experiments involving Mixed U and Pu fuel plates, referred to as TEX-MOX program. This program ultimately aims to perform critical experiments to validate the MOX fuel configurations encountered in the MOX fuel fabrication process. (authors)

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

RAJA Performance Suite

The RAJA Performance Suite is designed to evaluate performance of the RAJA performance portability library on a wide variety of important high performance computing (HPC) algorithmic lulmels. These kernels assess compiler optimizations and various parallel programming model backends accessible through RAJA, such as OpenMP, CUDA, etc. The Initial version of the suite contains 25 computational kernels, each of which appears in 6 variants: Baseline SequcntiaJ, RAJA SequentiaJ, Baseline OpenMP, RAJA OpenMP, Baseline CUDA, RAJA CUDA. All variants of each kernel perform essentially the same mathematical operations and the loop body code for each kernel is identical across all variants. There are a few kernels, such as those that contain reduction operations, that require CUDA-specific coding for their CUDA variants. ActuaJ computer instructions executed and how they run in parallel differs depending on the parallel programming model backend used and which optimizations are perfonned by the compiler used to build the Perfonnance Suite executable. The Suite will be used primarily by RAJA developers to perform regular assessments of RAJA performance across a range of hardware platforms and compilers as RAJA features are being developed. It will also be used by LLNL hardware and software vendor panners for new defining requirements for future computing platform procurements and acceptance testing. In particular, the RAJA Performance Suite will be used for compiler acceptance testing of the upcoming CORAUSierra machine {initial LLNL delivery expected in late-2017/early 2018) and the CORAL-2 procurement. The Suite will aJso be used to generate concise source code reproducers of compiler and runtime issues we uncover so that we may provide them to relevant vendors to be fixed.

Hornung, RichardD.↗

Improving robustness and computational efficiency using modern C++

For nearly two decades, the C++ programming language has been the dominant programming language for experimental HEP. The publication of ISO/IEC 14882:2011, the current version of the international standard for the C++ programming language, makes available a variety of language and library facilities for improving the robustness, expressiveness, and computational efficiency of C++ code. However, much of the C++ written by the experimental HEP community does not take advantage of the features of the language to obtain these benefits, either due to lack of familiarity with these features or concern that these features must somehow be computationally inefficient. In this paper, we address some of the features of modern C+-+, and show how they can be used to make programs that are both robust and computationally efficient. We compare and contrast simple yet realistic examples of some common implementation patterns in C, currently-typical C++, and modern C++, and show (when necessary, down to the level of generated assembly language code) the quality of the executable code produced by recent C++ compilers, with the aim of allowing the HEP community to make informed decisions on the costs and benefits of the use of modern C++.

Paterno, M.↗

Extension of Alvis compiler front-end

Alvis is a formal modelling language that enables possibility of verification of distributed concurrent systems. An Alvis model semantics finds expression in an LTS graph (labelled transition system). Execution of any language statement is expressed as a transition between formally defined states of such a model. An LTS graph is generated using a middle-stage Haskell representation of an Alvis model. Moreover, Haskell is used as a part of the Alvis language and is used to define parameters’ types and operations on them. Thanks to the compiler’s modular construction many aspects of compilation of an Alvis model may be modified. Providing new plugins for Alvis Compiler that support languages like Java or C makes possible using these languages as a part of Alvis instead of Haskell. The paper presents the compiler internal model and describes how the default specification language can be altered by new plugins.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s CAP88 PC versions 3.0 and 4.0

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) with the assistance of Georgia Regents University, completed a comparison of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) environmental dosimetry code CAP88 PC V3.0 with the recently developed V4.0. CAP88 is a set of computer programs and databases used for estimation of dose and risk from radionuclide emissions to air. At the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, CAP88 is used by SRNL for determining compliance with EPA's National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (40 CFR 61, Subpart H) regulations. Using standardized input parameters, individual runs were conducted for each radionuclide within its corresponding database. Some radioactive decay constants, human usage parameters, and dose coefficients changed between the two versions, directly causing a proportional change in the total effective 137 Cs, 3 H, 129 I, 239 Pu, and 90 Sr) is provided. In general, the total effective doses will decrease for alpha/beta emitters because of reduced inhalation and ingestion rates in V4.0. However, for gamma emitters, such as 60 Co and 137 Cs, the total effective doses will increase because of changes EPA made in the external ground shine calculations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Exascale Monte Carlo R&D [Slides]

Overview of this presentation is (1) Exascale computing - different technologies, getting there; (2) high-performance proof-of-concept MCMini - features and results; and (3) OpenCL toolkit - Oatmeal (OpenCL Automatic Memory Allocation Library) - purpose and features. Despite driver issues, OpenCL seems like a good, hardware agnostic tool. MCMini demonstrates the possibility for GPGPU-based Monte Carlo methods - it shows great scaling for HPC application and algorithmic equivalence. Oatmeal provides a flexible framework to aid in the development of scientific OpenCL codes.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Automated metadata--final project report

This report summarizes the work of the Automated Metadata, Provenance Cataloging, and Navigable Interfaces: Ensuring the Usefulness of Extreme-Scale Data Project (MPO Project) funded by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Offices of Advanced Scientific Computing Research and Fusion Energy Sciences. Initially funded for three years starting in 2012, it was extended for 6 months with additional funding. The project was a collaboration between scientists at General Atomics, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The group leveraged existing computer science technology where possible, and extended or created new capabilities where required. The MPO project was able to successfully create a suite of software tools that can be used by a scientific community to automatically document their scientific workflows. These tools were integrated into workflows for fusion energy and climate research illustrating the general applicability of the project’s toolkit. Feedback was very positive on the project’s toolkit and the value of such automatic workflow documentation to the scientific endeavor.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Propagation And Damping Of High Harmonic Fast Waves And Electron Cyclotron Waves In The Nstx-U-Device

For the spherical torus and for conventional tokamaks to be viable means of producing fusion energy there are two important requirements. The first is to heat the plasma in the experimental devices to high temperatures; preferably, to fusion relevant temperatures. The second is to drive a current in the plasma so that the fusion device operates in a steady-state mode. A pulsed fusion reactor for energy production is not desirable. A favored means to achieve both of these requirements is through the use of microwaves, commonly referred to as radio frequency waves. This proposal was to understand observations from the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) device on radio frequency wave heating of the confined plasma during operations with high harmonic fast waves. The proposed research was also directed toward assisting in the optimization of the experimental modes of operation so as to maximize the heating efficiency. A detailed analysis of the experiments has shown that about one-third of the input radio frequency power does not make it into the core region of the plasma where heating is required. The losses are believed to occur primarily in the edge region where the radio frequency power is initially coupled into the plasma. Using sophisticated computational codes and theoretical models, that have been developed for the NSTX-U experimental program, this research quantified the physical processes which occur in the edge plasma and lead to a decrease in the heating efficiency. The effect of edge turbulence on the scattering of radio frequency waves was studied for waves in the ion cyclotron and electron cyclotron range of frequencies. For high harmonic fast waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies, simulations were carried out using a full-wave solver that was extended to the vacuum vessel wall. These simulations successfully reproduced trends that were observed experimentally. This simulation capability was also used to study the interaction of high harmonic fast waves with the scrape-off layer plasma. More recently, a new technique has been developed for the calculation of radio frequency waves in toroidal geometry that enables the simultaneous incorporation of antenna geometry, plasma facing components, the scrape off-layer, and core propagation in the high harmonic fast wave regime. The effect of turbulent plasmas on the mode conversion of extraordinary electromagnetic waves in the electron cyclotron range of frequencies in the NSTX-U plasma has been studied theoretically. In the over-dense plasmas of NSTX-U, the traditional electromagnetic waves are not effective for delivering energy and momentum to the core plasma. However, electron Bernstein waves generated by mode conversion are efficient carriers of wave energy and momentum to the core. The mode conversion occurs in the turbulent edge region. A theory for mode conversion in such plasmas has been developed. The parameters that can optimize the mode conversion can be readily determined. Also, the model is useful for experimentalists to analyze observation on a shot-to-shot basis.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Propagation And Damping Of High Harmonic Fast Waves And Electron Cyclotron Waves In The Nstx-U-Device

For the spherical torus and for conventional tokamaks to be viable means of producing fusion energy there are two important requirements. The first is to heat the plasma in the experimental devices to high temperatures; preferably, to fusion relevant temperatures. The second is to drive a current in the plasma so that the fusion device operates in a steady-state mode. A pulsed fusion reactor for energy production is not desirable. A favored means to achieve both of these requirements is through the use of microwaves, commonly referred to as radio frequency waves. This proposal was to understand observations from the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) device on radio frequency wave heating of the confined plasma during operations with high harmonic fast waves. The proposed research was also directed toward assisting in the optimization of the experimental modes of operation so as to maximize the heating efficiency. A detailed analysis of the experiments has shown that about one-third of the input radio frequency power does not make it into the core region of the plasma where heating is required. The losses are believed to occur primarily in the edge region where the radio frequency power is initially coupled into the plasma. Using sophisticated computational codes and theoretical models, that have been developed for the NSTX-U experimental program, this research quantified the physical processes which occur in the edge plasma and lead to a decrease in the heating efficiency. The effect of edge turbulence on the scattering of radio frequency waves was studied for waves in the ion cyclotron and electron cyclotron range of frequencies. For high harmonic fast waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies, simulations were carried out using a full-wave solver that was extended to the vacuum vessel wall. These simulations successfully reproduced trends that were observed experimentally. This simulation capability was also used to study the interaction of high harmonic fast waves with the scrape-off layer plasma. More recently, a new technique has been developed for the calculation of radio frequency waves in toroidal geometry that enables the simultaneous incorporation of antenna geometry, plasma facing components, the scrape off-layer, and core propagation in the high harmonic fast wave regime. The effect of turbulent plasmas on the mode conversion of extraordinary electromagnetic waves in the electron cyclotron range of frequencies in the NSTX-U plasma has been studied theoretically. In the over-dense plasmas of NSTX-U, the traditional electromagnetic waves are not effective for delivering energy and momentum to the core plasma. However, electron Bernstein waves generated by mode conversion are efficient carriers of wave energy and momentum to the core. The mode conversion occurs in the turbulent edge region. A theory for mode conversion in such plasmas has been developed. The parameters that can optimize the mode conversion can be readily determined. Also, the model is useful for experimentalists to analyze observation on a shot-to-shot basis.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Radiological Safety Analysis Computer (RSAC) Program Version 7.4 Users’ Manual

The Radiological Safety Analysis Computer (RSAC) Program Version 7.4 (RSAC-7) is the newest version of the RSAC legacy code. RSAC-7 calculates the consequences of a release of radionuclides to the atmosphere. Users generates a fission product inventory from either reactor operating history or a nuclear criticality event. RSAC-7 models the effects of high-efficiency particulate air filters or other cleanup systems and calculates the decay and ingrowth during transport through processes, facilities, and the environment. Doses are calculated for inhalation, air immersion, ground surface, ingestion, and cloud gamma pathways. RSAC-7 is used as a tool to evaluate accident conditions in emergency response scenarios, radiological sabotage events, and safety basis accident consequences. This users’ manual contains the mathematical models and operating instructions for RSAC-7. Instructions, screens, and examples are provided to guide the user through the functions provided by RSAC-7. This program is designed for users who are familiar with radiological dose assessment methods.

73 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

A Chemistry Based Criticality Safety Evaluation of the HM-Process Mixer Settlers

The criticality safety of Savannah River Site’s H Canyon two cycle uranium extraction and purification process, called the HM process, is examined. Explicit Monte Carlo models of the multi-stage mixer-settlers are generated for the first time using the KENO-VI module of the SCALE 6.1 code package and spanning normal operating conditions and a wide range of potential upset conditions with stage wise compositions based directly on SEPHIS Mod-4 chemistry models of the same conditions.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Integration of the Kromek D3S Detector and Spot Robot For Secondary Inspections

Inspecting vehicles and containers for the presence of nuclear material is a challenging task for border control and security. When performed manually by inspectors, this task also has an associated risk of exposing the inspectors to unknown radiation. With the advent of agile, easy-to-program, quadruped robots like the Boston Dynamics Spot, automation of secondary inspection can improve the efficiency of the inspection process and alleviates the radiation risks to inspectors. In this project, Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Massachussetts at Lowell explored how to automate a simple secondary inspection mission. The Spot robot comes with its own software development kit (SDK) that allows clients/users to write custom code in the Python programming language to control the robot. Spot also has a payload computer called Spot-CORE, which runs the Ubuntu Linux operating system and allows users to integrate external sensors, such as a radiation detector, with Spot. In this study, the Kromek D3S detector has been integrated with Spot via the Spot-CORE, allowing Spot to capture gamma spectra and neutron counts for a specified acquisition period. Two custom routines, search and confirmation, have been developed and executed in this specified order. The search routine directs Spot to go around the nearest obstacle, e.g., vehicle and container, in a preset distance and step to collect gamma and neutron gross counts with the D3S detector. The radiation data and the robot location corresponding to each step are stored and fed to the confirmation routine at the end of the search. The confirmation routine then navigates Spot to the locations of the highest gamma or neutron counts to perform a long, e.g., one minute, measurement, and gives the operators the signature gamma spectra and neutron counts at the hotspots. This paper presents a detailed description of this automated system along with results of the preliminary tests in identifying the location and signature of a 137Cs radiation source in a vehicle.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

Virtual sensors for robust on-line monitoring (OLM) and diagnostics - 197

Unscheduled shutdown of nuclear power facilities for recalibration and replacement of faulty sensors can be expensive and disruptive to grid management. In this work, we present virtual (software) sensors that can replace a faulty physical sensor for a short duration thus allowing recalibration to be safely deferred to a later time. The virtual sensor model uses a Gaussian process model to process input data from redundant and other nearby sensors. Predicted data includes uncertainty bounds including spatial association uncertainty and measurement noise and error. Using data from an instrumented cooling water flow loop test bed, the virtual sensor model has predicted correct sensor measurements and the associated error corresponding to a faulty sensor. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

The VENUS/NWChem Software Package. Tight Coupling Between Chemical Dynamics Simulations and Electronic Structure Theory

The interface for VENUS and NWChem, and the resulting software package for direct dynamics simulations are described. The coupling of the two codes is considered to be a tight coupling. The two codes are compiled and linked together and act as one executable with data being passed between the two codes through routine calls. The advantages of this type of coupling are discussed. The interface has been designed to have as little interference as possible with the core codes of both VENUS and NWChem. VENUS is the code that propagates the direct dynamics trajectories and, therefore, is the program that drives the overall execution of VENUS/NWChem. VENUS has remained an essentially sequential code, which uses the highly parallel structure of NWChem. Subroutines of the interface which accomplish the data transmission and communication between the two computer programs are described. Recent examples of the use of VENUS/NWChem for direct dynamics simulations are summarized.

chemical dynamics simulation↗