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At least 325 records · Page 18

Toward designing effective exascale scientific computing workflows: experiences and best practices

Many fields within scientific computing have embraced advances in big-data analysis and machine learning, which often requires the deployment of large, distributed and complicated workflows that may combine training neural networks, performing simulations, running inference, and performing database queries and data analysis in asynchronous, parallel and pipelined execution frameworks. Such a shift has brought into focus the need for scalable, efficient workflow management solutions with reproducibility, error and provenance handling, traceability, and checkpoint-restart capabilities, among other needs. Here, we discuss challenges and best-practices for deploying exascale-generation computational science workflows on resources at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). We present our experiences with large-scale deployment of distributed workflows on the Summit supercomputer, including for bioinformatics and computational biophysics, materials science, and deep learning model optimization. We also present problems and solutions created by working within a Python-centric software base on traditional HPC systems, and discuss steps that will be required before the convergence of HPC, AI, and data science can be fully realized. Our results point to a wealth of exciting new possibilities for harnessing this convergence to tackle new scientific challenges.

Coletti, Mark↗

ChatMPI: LLM-Driven MPI Code Generation for HPC Workloads

The Message Passing Interface (MPI) standard plays a crucial role in enabling scientific applications for parallel computing and is an essential component in high-performance computing (HPC). However, implementing MPI code manually—especially applying a proper domain decomposition and communication pattern—is a challenging and error-prone task. We present ChatMPI, an AI assistant for MPI parallelization of sequential C codes. In our analysis, we focus on testing six essential HPC workloads, which are based on Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms levels 1, 2, and 3 as well as sparse, stencil, and iterative operations. We analyze the process of creating ChatMPI by using the ChatHPC library. This lightweight large language model (LLM)–based infrastructure enables HPC experts to efficiently create and supervise trustworthy AI capabilities for critical HPC software tasks. We study the data required for training (fine-tuning) ChatMPI to generate parallel codes that not only use MPI syntax correctly but also apply HPC techniques to reduce memory communication and maximize performance by using proper work decomposition. With a relatively small training dataset composed of a few dozen prompts and fewer than 15 minutes of fine-tuning on one node equipped with two NVIDIA H100 GPUs, ChatMPI elevates trustworthiness for MPI code generation of current LLMs (e.g., Code Llama, ChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT 5). Additionally, we evaluate the performance of the MPI codes generated by ChatMPI in comparison with the ones generated by ChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT-5. The codes generated by ChatMPI provide up to a 4 × boost in performance by using better problem decomposition, communication patterns, and HPC techniques (e.g., communication avoiding).

Valero Lara, Pedro [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000214794310)↗

$\mathrm{Perturbo}$: A software package for ab initio electron–phonon interactions, charge transport and ultrafast dynamics

We report Perturbo is a software package for first-principles calculations of charge transport and ultrafast carrier dynamics in materials. The current version focuses on electron–phonon interactions and can compute phonon-limited transport properties such as the conductivity, carrier mobility and Seebeck coefficient. It can also simulate the ultrafast nonequilibrium electron dynamics in the presence of electron–phonon scattering. Perturbo uses results from density functional theory and density functional perturbation theory calculations as input, and employs Wannier interpolation to reduce the computational cost. It supports norm-conserving and ultrasoft pseudopotentials, spin–orbit coupling, and polar electron–phonon interactions for bulk and 2D materials. Hybrid MPI plus OpenMP parallelization is implemented to enable efficient calculations on large systems (up to at least 50 atoms) using high-performance computing. Taken together, Perturbo provides efficient and broadly applicable ab initio tools to investigate electron–phonon interactions and carrier dynamics quantitatively in metals, semiconductors, insulators, and 2D materials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Efficient exascale discretizations: High-order finite element methods

Efficient exploitation of exascale architectures requires rethinking of the numerical algorithms used in many large-scale applications. These architectures favor algorithms that expose ultra fine-grain parallelism and maximize the ratio of floating point operations to energy intensive data movement. One of the few viable approaches to achieve high efficiency in the area of PDE discretizations on unstructured grids is to use matrix-free/partially assembled high-order finite element methods, since these methods can increase the accuracy and/or lower the computational time due to reduced data motion. In this paper we provide an overview of the research and development activities in the Center for Efficient Exascale Discretizations (CEED), a co-design center in the Exascale Computing Project that is focused on the development of next-generation discretization software and algorithms to enable a wide range of finite element applications to run efficiently on future hardware. CEED is a research partnership involving more than 30 computational scientists from two US national labs and five universities, including members of the Nek5000, MFEM, MAGMA and PETSc projects. We discuss the CEED co-design activities based on targeted benchmarks, miniapps and discretization libraries and our work on performance optimizations for large-scale GPU architectures. We also provide a broad overview of research and development activities in areas such as unstructured adaptive mesh refinement algorithms, matrix-free linear solvers, high-order data visualization, and list examples of collaborations with several ECP and external applications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

AMReX and pyAMReX: Looking beyond the exascale computing project

AMReX is a software framework for the development of block-structured mesh applications with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). AMReX was initially developed and supported by the AMReX Co-Design Center as part of the U.S. DOE Exascale Computing Project (ECP), and is continuing to grow post-ECP. In addition to adding new functionality and performance improvements to the core AMReX framework, we have also developed a Python binding, pyAMReX, that provides a bridge between AMReX-based application codes and the data science ecosystem. pyAMReX provides zero-copy application GPU data access for AI/ML, in situ analysis and application coupling, and enables rapid, massively parallel prototyping. In this paper we review the overall functionality of AMReX and pyAMReX, focusing on new developments, new functionality, and optimizations of key operations. We also summarize capabilities of ECP projects that used AMReX and provide an overview of new, non-ECP applications.

Myers, Andrew↗

Leveraging FPGA Advantages for Quicker Data Processing for LBNF

The Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) will deliver a 2.4 MW muon neutrino beam from Fermilab to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), requiring unprecedented precision in beamline alignment to achieve DUNE's neutrino oscillation measurement goals. Vertical misalignments of beamline components as small as 0.5 mm can contribute 6-7\% uncertainty in predicted neutrino flux, necessitating sub-0.1 mm alignment monitoring capabilities. The Horn Location Sensor (HLS) system employs frequency sweep interferometry (FSI) in a distributed hydrostatic leveling network to achieve the required precision under harsh radiation conditions up to 5000 kRad/year. Traditional FSI implementations suffer from laser sweep nonlinearities that degrade resolution and require computationally intensive post-processing corrections using gas reference cells. This work presents a real-time FPGA-based implementation of the HLS data acquisition and processing system using a sweep tracker interferometer for dynamic sweep linearization. The system utilizes a PYNQ-Z2 FPGA with programmable logic implementing parallel 16k-point FFT processing across four channels, synchronized by the sweep tracker signal to eliminate post-processing requirements. Spectral performance testing demonstrates significant improvements in peak sharpness compared to traditional fixed-frequency digitization. The FPGA implementation enables real-time displacement monitoring with processing speeds orders of magnitude faster than software-based approaches, essential for the operational requirements of LBNF's eventual distributed sensor network. This advancement in real-time FSI processing directly supports DUNE's precision neutrino physics program by providing the rapid feedback necessary for maintaining stringent beamline alignment tolerances during high-power beam operations.

Rossel, Jacob↗

Real-Time FPGA Implementation For Frequency Sweep Interferometry In The LBNF Complex

The Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) will deliver a 2.4 MW muon neutrino beam from Fermilab to the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), requiring unprecedented precision in beamline alignment to achieve DUNE's neutrino oscillation measurement goals. Vertical misalignments of beamline components as small as 0.5 mm can contribute 6-7\% uncertainty in predicted neutrino flux, necessitating sub-0.1 mm alignment monitoring capabilities. The Horn Location Sensor (HLS) system employs frequency sweep interferometry (FSI) in a distributed hydrostatic leveling network to achieve the required precision under harsh radiation conditions up to 5000 kRad/year. Traditional FSI implementations suffer from laser sweep nonlinearities that degrade resolution and require computationally intensive post-processing corrections using gas reference cells. This work presents a real-time FPGA-based implementation of the HLS data acquisition and processing system using a sweep tracker interferometer for dynamic sweep linearization. The system utilizes a PYNQ-Z2 FPGA with programmable logic implementing parallel 16k-point FFT processing across four channels, synchronized by the sweep tracker signal to eliminate post-processing requirements. Spectral performance testing demonstrates significant improvements in peak sharpness compared to traditional fixed-frequency digitization. The FPGA implementation enables real-time displacement monitoring with processing speeds orders of magnitude faster than software-based approaches, essential for the operational requirements of LBNF's eventual distributed sensor network. This advancement in real-time FSI processing directly supports DUNE's precision neutrino physics program by providing the rapid feedback necessary for maintaining stringent beamline alignment tolerances during high-power beam operations.

Rossel, A. Jacob [Fermilab; Unlisted]↗

Equilipy: a python package for calculating phase equilibria

The CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram) approach (Nigel Saunders & Miodownik, 1998) provides predictions for thermodynamically stable phases in multicomponent-multiphase materials across a wide range of temperatures. Consequently, the CALPHAD calculations became an essential tool in materials and process design (Luo, 2015). Such design tasks frequently require navigating a high-dimensional space due to multiple components involved in the system. This increasing complexity demands high-throughput CALPHAD calculations, especially in the rapidly evolving field of alloy design. In response to the need, we developed Equilipy an open-source Python package designed for calculating phase equilibria of multicomponent-multiphase systems. Equilipy is specifically tailored for high-throughput CALPHAD calculations, offering parallel computations across multiple processors and nodes with the given NPT input conditions namely elemental compositions (N), pressure (P), and temperature (T). Equilipy utilizes the program structure and Gibbs energy functions from the Fortran-based program, Thermochimica (Piro et al., 2013), with incorporating a new Gibbs energy minimization algorithm. This algorithm, originally developed by Capitani and Brown in 1987 (Capitani & Brown, 1987), has been revised and implemented to enhance the stability and performance of calculations. The Fortran codes are precompiled and interfaced with Python via F2PY, ensuring high computation speed. Benchmark tests shown in Figure 1 demonstrate that Equilipy’s computation speed is comparable to those of established commercial software, TC-Python and PanPython. This result highlights its efficiency and potential applications in various scientific and industrial fields.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A hybrid 3D/2D field response calculation for liquid argon detectors with PCB based anode plane

Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) technology is commonly utilized in neutrino detector designs. It enables detailed reconstruction of neutrino events with high spatial precision and low energy threshold. Its field response (FR) model describes the time-dependent electric currents induced in the anode-plane electrodes when ionization electrons drift nearby. An accurate and precise FR is a crucial input to LArTPC detector simulations and charge reconstruction. Established LArTPC designs have been based on parallel wire planes. It allows accurate and computationally economic two-dimensional (2D) FR models utilizing the translational symmetry along the direction of the wires. Recently, novel LArTPC designs utilize electrodes formed on printed circuit board (PCB) in the shape of strips with through holes. The translational symmetry is no longer a good approximation near the electrodes and a new FR calculation that employs regions with three dimensions (3D) has been developed. Extending the 2D models to 3D would be computationally expensive. Fortuitously, the nature of strips with through holes allows for a computationally economic approach based on the finite-difference method (FDM). In this paper, we present a new software package pochoir that calculates LArTPC field response for these new strip-based anode designs. This package combines 3D calculations in the volume near the electrodes with 2D far-field solutions to achieve fast and precise field response computation. We apply the resulting FR to simulate and reconstruct samples of cosmic-ray muons and 39 Ar decays from a Vertical Drift (VD) detector prototype operated at CERN. We find the difference between real and simulated data within 5%. Current state-of-the-art LArTPC software requires a 2D FR which we provide by averaging over one dimension and estimate that variations lost in this average are smaller than 7%.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Comprehension of Spatial Constraints by Neural Logic Learning from a Single RGB-D Scan

Autonomous industrial assembly relies on the precise measurement of spatial constraints as designed by computer-aided design (CAD) software such as SolidWorks. This paper proposes a framework for an intelligent industrial robot to understand the spatial constraints for model assembly. An extended generative adversary network (GAN) with a 3D long short-term memory (LSTM) network was designed to composite 3D point clouds from a single RGB-D scan. The spatial constraints of the segmented point clouds are identified by a neural-logic network that incorporates general knowledge of spatial constraints in terms of first-order logic. The model was designed to comprehend a complete set of spatial constraints that are consistent with industrial CAD software, including left, right, above, below, front, behind, parallel, perpendicular, concentric, and coincident relations. The accuracy of 3D model composition and spatial constraint identification was evaluated by the RGB-D scans and 3D models in the ABC dataset. The proposed model achieved 57.23% intersection over union (IoU) in 3D model composition, and over 99% in comprehending all spatial constraints.

Wang, Dali↗

A Simple, Scalable Large Deformation Solid Mechanics Implementation in the MOOSE Framework

This article describes a large deformation solid mechanics solver implemented as part of the freely available and open source MOOSE finite element simulation framework. The article documents the choices made in developing the solid mechanics framework and describes novel formulations for the gradient operator and constitutive modeling framework made to simplify implementations of different coordinate systems, stabilized gradient operators, and different constitutive model inputs and outputs. In the process, the article describes a new formulation that casts objective integration of the Cauchy stress as a linear transformation of the small stress rate. Finally, the article presents key implementation details and examines the parallel efficiency of the solid mechanics solver implemented in MOOSE. The implementation retains a good weak scaling efficiency beyond 1,000 parallel processes. The article includes a discussion of the factors limiting the parallel efficiency of implicit, large deformation solid mechanics codes on current high-performance computers, with the main current limitation being the scalability of the algebraic multigrid methods used to solve the linearized equilibrium equations.

Applied computing → Computer-aided design↗

Designing a Framework for Solving Multiobjective Simulation Optimization Problems

Multiobjective simulation optimization (MOSO) problems are optimization problems with multiple conflicting objectives, where evaluation of at least one of the objectives depends on a black-box numerical code or real-world experiment, which we refer to as a simulation. Whereas an extensive body of research is dedicated to developing new algorithms and methods for solving these and related problems, it is challenging and time-consuming to integrate these techniques into real-world production-ready solvers. This is partly because of the diversity and complexity of modern state-of-the-art MOSO algorithms and methods and partly because of the complexity and specificity of many real-world problems and their corresponding computing environments. The complexity of this problem is only compounded when introducing potentially complex and/or domain-specific surrogate-modeling techniques, problem formulations, design spaces, and data acquisition functions. Here, this paper carefully surveys the current state of the art in MOSO algorithms, techniques, and solvers, as well as problem types and computational environments where MOSO is commonly applied. We then present several key challenges in the design of a parallel multiobjective simulation optimization framework (ParMOO) and how they have been addressed. Finally, we provide two case studies demonstrating how customized ParMOO solvers can be quickly built and deployed to solve real-world MOSO problems.

engineering design optimization↗

Sentinel

Network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) are commonplace in network security but they frequently employ algorithms that are computational demanding requiring hardware and software with significant power requirements. Two examples of such resource-intensive algorithms used for network security are regular expression matching and broader signature pattern matching which are commonly used in deep packet inspection (DPI). Network security algorithms that have large power requirements may be a challenge for low-power internet-of-things (IoT) environments, which generally lack the power resources to implement complex security measures like computationally expensive DPI at the edge. Furthermore, IoT environments incorporating 5G standalone networks have network latency constraints beyond just power that make DPI at the edge even more difficult. Programmable logic is ideally suited for machine learning inference for DPI because of its deep instruction level parallelism and single-cycle memory access. Machine learning approaches for DPI have been explored before using the programmable logic of field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) as a potential solution for NIDS approaches that would be power-suitable for IoT. However, those previous programmable logic NIDS approaches utilize either a supervised or unsupervised learning model. Sentinel utilizes the ensemble of these two machine learning approaches known as a semi-supervised approach which has shown promise in NIDS implementations. Sentinel provides a programmable logic implementation of a semi-supervised approach for DPI which operates at much lower power and latency than a GPU implementation with negligible loss of accuracy due to quantization through a logistic regressor.

Anderson, MatthewW [Idaho National Laboratory (INL↗

Towards Low-Overhead Resilience for Data Parallel Deep Learning

Data parallel techniques have been widely adopted both in academia and industry as a tool to enable scalable training of deep learning models. At scale, DL training jobs can fail due to software or hardware bugs, may need to be preempted or terminated due to unexpected events, or may perform suboptimally because they were misconfigured. Under such circumstances, there is a need to recover and/or reconfigure data-parallel DL training jobs on-the-fly, while minimizing the impact on the accuracy of the DNN model and the runtime overhead. In this regard, state-of-art techniques adopted by the HPC community mostly rely on checkpoint-restart, which inevitably leads to loss of progress, thus increasing the runtime overhead. In this paper we explore alternative techniques that exploit the properties of modern deep learning frameworks (overlapping of gradient averaging and weight updates with local gradient computations through pipeline parallelism) to reduce the overhead of resilience/elasticity. To this end we introduce a failure simulation framework and two resilience strategies (immediate mini-batch rollback and lossy forward recovery), which we study compared with checkpoint-restart approaches in a variety of settings in order to understand the trade-offs between the accuracy loss of the DNN model and the runtime overhead.

data-parallel training↗

ECP ST Capability Assessment Report (CAR) for VTK-m (FY20)

The ECP/VTK-m project is providing the core capabilities to perform scientific visualization on Exascale architectures. The ECP/VTK-m project fills the critical feature gap of performing visualization and analysis on processors like graphics-based processors. The results of this project will be delivered in tools like ParaView, Vislt, and Ascent as well as in stand-alone form. Moreover, these projects are depending on this ECP effort to be able to make effective use of ECP architectures. One of the biggest recent changes in high-performance computing is the increasing use of accelerators. Accelerators contain processing cores that independently are inferior to a core in a typical CPU, but these cores are replicated and grouped such that their aggregate execution provides a very high computation rate at a much lower power. Current and future CPU processors also require much more explicit parallelism. Each successive version of the hardware packs more cores into each processor, and technologies like hyper threading and vector operations require even more parallel processing to leverage each core's full potential. VTK-m is a toolkit of scientific visualization algorithms for emerging processor architectures. VTK-m supports the fine-grained concurrency for data analysis and visualization algorithms required to drive extreme scale computing by providing abstract models for data and execution that can be applied to a variety of algorithms across many different processor architectures. The ECP/VTK-m project is building up the VTK-m codebase with the necessary visualization algorithm implementations that run across the varied hardware platforms to be leveraged at the Exascale. We will be working with other ECP projects, such as ALPINE, to integrate the new VTK-m code into production software to enable visualization on our HPC systems.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Low-Power Deep Learning Inference using the SpiNNaker Neuromorphic Platform

n this presentation we will discuss recent results on using the SpiNNaker neuromorphic platform (48-chip model) for deep learning neural network inference. We use the Sandia Labs developed Whet stone spiking deep learning library to train deep multi-layer perceptrons and convolutional neural networks suitable for the spiking substrate on the neural hardware architecture. By using the massively parallel nature of SpiNNaker, we are able to achieve, under certain network topologies, substantial network tiling and consequentially impressive inference throughput. Such high-throughput systems may have eventual application in remote sensing applications where large images need to be chipped, scanned, and processed quickly. Additionally, we explore complex topologies that push the limits of the SpiNNaker routing hardware and investigate how that impacts mapping software-implemented networks to on-hardware instantiations.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

MBX V1.2: Accelerating Data-Driven Many-Body Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The MBX software provides an advanced platform for molecular dynamics simulations, leveraging state-of-the-art MB-pol and MB-nrg data-driven many-body potential energy functions. Developed over the past decade, these potential energy functions integrate physics-based and machine-learned many-body terms trained on electronic structure data calculated at the "gold standard" coupled-cluster level of theory. Recent advancements in MBX have focused on optimizing its performance, resulting in the release of MBX v1.2. While the inherently many-body nature of MB-pol and MB-nrg ensures high accuracy, it poses computational challenges. MBX v1.2 addresses these challenges with significant performance improvements, including enhanced parallelism that fully harnesses the power of modern multicore CPUs. In conclusion, these advancements enable simulations on nanosecond time scales for condensed-phase systems, significantly expanding the scope of high-accuracy, predictive simulations of complex molecular systems powered by data-driven many-body potential energy functions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Reaction Mechanism Generator v3.0: Advances in Automatic Mechanism Generation

In chemical kinetics research, kinetic models containing hundreds of species and tens of thousands of elementary reactions are commonly used to understand and predict the behavior of reactive chemical systems. Reaction Mechanism Generator (RMG) is a software suite developed to automatically generate such models by incorporating and extrapolating from a database of known thermochemical and kinetic parameters. Here, we present the recent version 3 release of RMG and highlight improvements since the previously published description of RMG v1.0. Most notably, RMG can now generate heterogeneous catalysis models in addition to the previously available gas- and liquid-phase capabilities. For model analysis, new methods for local and global uncertainty analysis have been implemented to supplement first-order sensitivity analysis. The RMG database of thermochemical and kinetic parameters has been significantly expanded to cover more types of chemistry. The present release includes parallelization for faster model generation and a new molecule isomorphism approach to improve computational performance. RMG has also been updated to use Python 3, ensuring compatibility with the latest cheminformatics and machine learning packages. Overall, RMG v3.0 includes many changes which improve the accuracy of the generated chemical mechanisms and allow for exploration of a wider range of chemical systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗