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At least 343 records · Page 19

Quantifying the Impact of Single Bit Flips on Floating Point Arithmetic

In high-end computing, the collective surface area, smaller fabrication sizes, and increasing density of components have led to an increase in the number of observed bit flips. If mechanisms are not in place to detect them, such flips produce silent errors, i.e. the code returns a result that deviates from the desired solution by more than the allowed tolerance and the discrepancy cannot be distinguished from the standard numerical error associated with the algorithm. These phenomena are believed to occur more frequently in DRAM, but logic gates, arithmetic units, and other circuits are also susceptible to bit flips. Previous work has focused on algorithmic techniques for detecting and correcting bit flips in specific data structures, however, they suffer from lack of generality and often times cannot be implemented in heterogeneous computing environment. Our work takes a novel approach to this problem. We focus on quantifying the impact of a single bit flip on specific floating-point operations. We analyze the error induced by flipping specific bits in the most widely used IEEE floating-point representation in an architecture-agnostic manner, i.e., without requiring proprietary information such as bit flip rates and the vendor-specific circuit designs. We initially study dot products of vectors and demonstrate that not all bit flips create a large error and, more importantly, expected value of the relative magnitude of the error is very sensitive on the bit pattern of the binary representation of the exponent, which strongly depends on scaling. Our results are derived analytically and then verified experimentally with Monte Carlo sampling of random vectors. Furthermore, we consider the natural resilience properties of solvers based on the fixed point iteration and we demonstrate how the resilience of the Jacobi method for linear equations can be significantly improved by rescaling the associated matrix.

Elliott, James J.↗

NESM TAG Meeting Notes

March 2015 NESM TAG Notes related to 1) Structure surface representation, 2) Structure-fluid coupling algorithm, 3) Coupled time integration scheme, 4) Coupling data exchange API, 5) Portability across platforms and builds, and 6) Testing and verification.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Multimodal parameter spaces of a complex multi-channel neuron model

One of the most common types of models that helps us to understand neuron behavior is based on the Hodgkin–Huxley ion channel formulation (HH model). A major challenge with inferring parameters in HH models is non-uniqueness: many different sets of ion channel parameter values produce similar outputs for the same input stimulus. Such phenomena result in an objective function that exhibits multiple modes (i.e., multiple local minima). This non-uniqueness of local optimality poses challenges for parameter estimation with many algorithmic optimization techniques. HH models additionally have severe non-linearities resulting in further challenges for inferring parameters in an algorithmic fashion. To address these challenges with a tractable method in high-dimensional parameter spaces, we propose using a particular Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, which has the advantage of inferring parameters in a Bayesian framework. The Bayesian approach is designed to be suitable for multimodal solutions to inverse problems. We introduce and demonstrate the method using a three-channel HH model. We then focus on the inference of nine parameters in an eight-channel HH model, which we analyze in detail. We explore how the MCMC algorithm can uncover complex relationships between inferred parameters using five injected current levels. The MCMC method provides as a result a nine-dimensional posterior distribution, which we analyze visually with solution maps or landscapes of the possible parameter sets. The visualized solution maps show new complex structures of the multimodal posteriors, and they allow for selection of locally and globally optimal value sets, and they visually expose parameter sensitivities and regions of higher model robustness. We envision these solution maps as enabling experimentalists to improve the design of future experiments, increase scientific productivity and improve on model structure and ideation when the MCMC algorithm is applied to experimental data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Circumstellar shells resolved in the IRAS survey data. I - Data processing procedure, results, and confidence tests

We have examined the IRAS 60 and 100 micron survey data covering 512 evolved stars and young planetary nebulae for evidence of spatially resolved structure. A simple model, consisting of a central unresolved source surrounded by a resolved isothermal shell, was fitted to the data for each star. Seventy-six stars were found to be resolved in the 60 micron data. Tests have been performed to verify that the extended structure seen is not an artifact of the data-processing algorithm.

Young, K.↗

An Adaptively-Refined, Cartesian, Cell-Based Scheme for the Euler and Navier-Stokes Equations

A Cartesian, cell-based scheme for solving the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is developed and tested. Grids about geometrically complicated bodies are generated automatically, by recursive subdivision of a single Cartesian cell encompassing the entire flow domain. Where the resulting cells intersect bodies, polygonal 'cut' cells are created. The geometry of the cut cells is computed using polygon-clipping algorithms. The grid is stored in a binary-tree data structure which provides a natural means of obtaining cell-to-cell connectivity and of carrying out solution-adaptive refinement. The Euler and Navier-Stokes equations are solved on the resulting grids using a finite-volume formulation. The convective terms are upwinded, with a limited linear reconstruction of the primitive variables used to provide input states to an approximate Riemann solver for computing the fluxes between neighboring cells. A multi-stage time-stepping scheme is used to reach a steady-state solution. Validation of the Euler solver with benchmark numerical and exact solutions is presented. An assessment of the accuracy of the approach is made by uniform and adaptive grid refinements for a steady, transonic, exact solution to the Euler equations. The error of the approach is directly compared to a structured solver formulation. A non smooth flow is also assessed for grid convergence, comparing uniform and adaptively refined results. Several formulations of the viscous terms are assessed analytically, both for accuracy and positivity. The two best formulations are used to compute adaptively refined solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. These solutions are compared to each other, to experimental results and/or theory for a series of low and moderate Reynolds numbers flow fields. The most suitable viscous discretization is demonstrated for geometrically-complicated internal flows. For flows at high Reynolds numbers, both an altered grid-generation procedure and a different formulation of the viscous terms are shown to be necessary. A hybrid Cartesian/body-fitted grid generation approach is demonstrated. In addition, a grid-generation procedure based on body-aligned cell cutting coupled with a viscous stensil-construction procedure based on quadratic programming is presented.

Coirier, William John↗

A Cartesian, cell-based approach for adaptively-refined solutions of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations

A Cartesian, cell-based approach for adaptively-refined solutions of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions is developed and tested. Grids about geometrically complicated bodies are generated automatically, by recursive subdivision of a single Cartesian cell encompassing the entire flow domain. Where the resulting cells intersect bodies, N-sided 'cut' cells are created using polygon-clipping algorithms. The grid is stored in a binary-tree data structure which provides a natural means of obtaining cell-to-cell connectivity and of carrying out solution-adaptive mesh refinement. The Euler and Navier-Stokes equations are solved on the resulting grids using a finite-volume formulation. The convective terms are upwinded: A gradient-limited, linear reconstruction of the primitive variables is performed, providing input states to an approximate Riemann solver for computing the fluxes between neighboring cells. The more robust of a series of viscous flux functions is used to provide the viscous fluxes at the cell interfaces. Adaptively-refined solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations using the Cartesian, cell-based approach are obtained and compared to theory, experiment and other accepted computational results for a series of low and moderate Reynolds number flows.

Coirier, William J.↗

A historical overview of flight flutter testing

This paper reviews the test techniques developed over the last several decades for flight flutter testing of aircraft. Structural excitation systems, instrumentation systems, digital data preprocessing, and parameter identification algorithms (for frequency and damping estimates from the response data) are described. Practical experiences and example test programs illustrate the combined, integrated effectiveness of the various approaches used. Finally, comments regarding the direction of future developments and needs are presented.

Kehoe, Michael W.↗

Adaptively Refined Euler and Navier-Stokes Solutions with a Cartesian-Cell Based Scheme

A Cartesian-cell based scheme with adaptive mesh refinement for solving the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions has been developed and tested. Grids about geometrically complicated bodies were generated automatically, by recursive subdivision of a single Cartesian cell encompassing the entire flow domain. Where the resulting cells intersect bodies, N-sided 'cut' cells were created using polygon-clipping algorithms. The grid was stored in a binary-tree data structure which provided a natural means of obtaining cell-to-cell connectivity and of carrying out solution-adaptive mesh refinement. The Euler and Navier-Stokes equations were solved on the resulting grids using an upwind, finite-volume formulation. The inviscid fluxes were found in an upwinded manner using a linear reconstruction of the cell primitives, providing the input states to an approximate Riemann solver. The viscous fluxes were formed using a Green-Gauss type of reconstruction upon a co-volume surrounding the cell interface. Data at the vertices of this co-volume were found in a linearly K-exact manner, which ensured linear K-exactness of the gradients. Adaptively-refined solutions for the inviscid flow about a four-element airfoil (test case 3) were compared to theory. Laminar, adaptively-refined solutions were compared to accepted computational, experimental and theoretical results.

Coirier, William J.↗

Control over structure-specific flexibility improves anatomical accuracy for point-based deformable registration in bladder cancer radiotherapy

Purpose: Future developments in image guided adaptive radiotherapy (IGART) for bladder cancer require accurate deformable image registration techniques for the precise assessment of tumor and bladder motion and deformation that occur as a result of large bladder volume changes during the course of radiotherapy treatment. The aim was to employ an extended version of a point-based deformable registration algorithm that allows control over tissue-specific flexibility in combination with the authors' unique patient dataset, in order to overcome two major challenges of bladder cancer registration, i.e., the difficulty in accounting for the difference in flexibility between the bladder wall and tumor and the lack of visible anatomical landmarks for validation. Methods: The registration algorithm used in the current study is an extension of the symmetric-thin plate splines-robust point matching (S-TPS-RPM) algorithm, a symmetric feature-based registration method. The S-TPS-RPM algorithm has been previously extended to allow control over the degree of flexibility of different structures via a weight parameter. The extended weighted S-TPS-RPM algorithm was tested and validated on CT data (planning- and four to five repeat-CTs) of five urinary bladder cancer patients who received lipiodol injections before radiotherapy. The performance of the weighted S-TPS-RPM method, applied to bladder and tumor structures simultaneously, was compared with a previous version of the S-TPS-RPM algorithm applied to bladder wall structure alone and with a simultaneous nonweighted S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder and tumor structures. Performance was assessed in terms of anatomical and geometric accuracy. The anatomical accuracy was calculated as the residual distance error (RDE) of the lipiodol markers and the geometric accuracy was determined by the surface distance, surface coverage, and inverse consistency errors. Optimal parameter values for the flexibility and bladder weight parameters were determined for the weighted S-TPS-RPM. Results: The weighted S-TPS-RPM registration algorithm with optimal parameters significantly improved the anatomical accuracy as compared to S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder alone and reduced the range of the anatomical errors by half as compared with the simultaneous nonweighted S-TPS-RPM registration of the bladder and tumor structures. The weighted algorithm reduced the RDE range of lipiodol markers from 0.9-14 mm after rigid bone match to 0.9-4.0 mm, compared to a range of 1.1-9.1 mm with S-TPS-RPM of bladder alone and 0.9-9.4 mm for simultaneous nonweighted registration. All registration methods resulted in good geometric accuracy on the bladder; average error values were all below 1.2 mm. Conclusions: The weighted S-TPS-RPM registration algorithm with additional weight parameter allowed indirect control over structure-specific flexibility in multistructure registrations of bladder and bladder tumor, enabling anatomically coherent registrations. The availability of an anatomically validated deformable registration method opens up the horizon for improvements in IGART for bladder cancer.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

The Electrolyte Genome project: A big data approach in battery materials discovery

We present a high-throughput infrastructure for the automated calculation of molecular properties with a focus on battery electrolytes. The infrastructure is largely open-source and handles both practical aspects (input file generation, output file parsing, and information management) as well as more complex problems (structure matching, salt complex generation, and failure recovery). Using this infrastructure, we have computed the ionization potential (IP) and electron affinities (EA) of 4830 molecules relevant to battery electrolytes (encompassing almost 55,000 quantum mechanics calculations) at the B3LYP/6-31+G(*) level. We describe automated workflows for computing redox potential, dissociation constant, and salt-molecule binding complex structure generation. We present routines for automatic recovery from calculation errors, which brings the failure rate from 9.2% to 0.8% for the QChem DFT code. Automated algorithms to check duplication between two arbitrary molecules and structures are described. We present benchmark data on basis sets and functionals on the G2-97 test set; one finding is that a IP/EA calculation method that combines PBE geometry optimization and B3LYP energy evaluation requires less computational cost and yields nearly identical results as compared to a full B3LYP calculation, and could be suitable for the calculation of large molecules. Our data indicates that among the 8 functionals tested, XYGJ-OS and B3LYP are the two best functionals to predict IP/EA with an RMSE of 0.12 and 0.27 eV, respectively. Application of our automated workflow to a large set of quinoxaline derivative molecules shows that functional group effect and substitution position effect can be separated for IP/EA of quinoxaline derivatives, and the most sensitive position is different for IP and EA. Published by Elsevier B.V

Battery↗

A Scalable Nonuniform Pointer Analysis for Embedded Program

In this paper we present a scalable pointer analysis for embedded applications that is able to distinguish between instances of recursively defined data structures and elements of arrays. The main contribution consists of an efficient yet precise algorithm that can handle multithreaded programs. We first perform an inexpensive flow-sensitive analysis of each function in the program that generates semantic equations describing the effect of the function on the memory graph. These equations bear numerical constraints that describe nonuniform points-to relationships. We then iteratively solve these equations in order to obtain an abstract storage graph that describes the shape of data structures at every point of the program for all possible thread interleavings. We bring experimental evidence that this approach is tractable and precise for real-size embedded applications.

Venet, Arnaud↗

Scalable Triadic Analysis of Large-Scale Graphs: Multi-Core vs. Multi-Processor vs. Multi-Threaded Shared Memory Architectures

Triadic analysis encompasses a useful set of graph mining methods that is centered on the concept of a triad, which is a subgraph of three nodes and the configuration of directed edges across the nodes. Such methods are often applied in the social sciences as well as many other diverse fields. Triadic methods commonly operate on a triad census that counts the number of triads of every possible edge configuration in a graph. Like other graph algorithms, triadic census algorithms do not scale well when graphs reach tens of millions to billions of nodes. To enable the triadic analysis of large-scale graphs, we developed and optimized a triad census algorithm to efficiently execute on shared memory architectures. We will retrace the development and evolution of a parallel triad census algorithm. Over the course of several versions, we continually adapted the code’s data structures and program logic to expose more opportunities to exploit parallelism on shared memory that would translate into improved computational performance. We will recall the critical steps and modifications that occurred during code development and optimization. Furthermore, we will compare the performances of triad census algorithm versions on three specific systems: Cray XMT, HP Superdome, and AMD multi-core NUMA machine. These three systems have shared memory architectures but with markedly different hardware capabilities to manage parallelism.

Triadic analysis, triads, triad census, large-scal↗

Latent Heating Retrievals Using the TRMM Precipitation Radar: A Multi-Seasonal Study

Rainfall is a key link in the hydrologic cycle and is a primary heat source for the atmosphere. The vertical distribution of latent heat release, which is accompanied by rainfall, modulates the large-scale circulations of the tropics and in turn can impact midlatitude weather. This latent heat release is a consequence of phase changes between vapor, liquid, and solid water. Present largescale weather and climate models can simulate latent heat release only crudely, thus reducing their confidence in predictions on both global and regional scales. This paper represents the first attempt to use NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall information to estimate the four-dimensional structure of global monthly latent heating profiles over the global tropics from December 1997 to October 2000. The Goddard Convective-Stratiform. Heating (CSH) algorithm and TRMM precipitation radar data are used for this study. We will examine and compare the latent heating structures between 1997-1998 (winter) ENSO and 1998-2000 (non-ENSO). We will also examine over the tropics. The seasonal variation of heating over various geographic locations (i.e., oceanic vs continental; Indian oceans vs west Pacific; Africa vs S. America) will be also examined and compared. In addition, we will examine the relationship between latent heating (max heating level) and SST. The period of interest also coincides with several TRMM field campaigns that recently occurred over the South China Sea in 1998 (SCSMEX), Brazil in 1999 (TRMM-LBA), and in the central Pacific in 1999 (KWAJEX). Sounding diagnosed Q1 budgets from these experiments could provide a means of validating the retrieved profiles of latent heating from the CSH algorithm.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗

Extension and validation of a method for locating damaged members in large space trusses

The damage location approach employs the control system capabilities for the structure to test the structure and measure the dynamic response. The measurements are then used in a system identification algorithm to produce a model of the damaged structure. The model is compared to one for the undamaged structure to find regions of reduced stiffness which indicate the location of damage. Kabe's 3,4 stiffness matrix adjustment method was the central identification algorithm. The strength of his method is that, with minimal data, it preserves the representation of the physical connectivity of the structure in the resulting model of the damaged truss. However, extensive storage and computational effort were required as a result. Extension of the damage location method to overcome these problems is the first part of the current work. The central system identification algorithm is replaced with the MSMT method of stiffness matrix adjustment which was previously derived by generalizing an optimal-update secant method form quasi-Newton approaches for nonlinear optimization. Validation of the extended damage location method is the second goal.

Smith, Suzanne Weaver↗

A 3D finite element multigrid solver for the Euler equations

A low storage, computationally efficient algorithm for the solution of the compressible Euler equations on unstructured tetrahedral meshes is developed. The algorithm takes the form of a centered scheme with the explicit addition of a high accuracy artificial viscosity and the solution is advanced to steady state by means of a multistage timestepping method. The side-based data structure which is employed enables a clear connection to be established between the proposed algorithm and upwind cell vertex schemes for unstructured meshes. The computational efficiency of the procedure is improved by incorporating an unstructured multigrid acceleration procedure. A number of flows of practical interest are analyzed to demonstrate the numerical performance of the proposed approach.

Peraire, J.↗

Ice-Over-Water Cloud Properties in an Artificial Neural Network Approach

Clouds are a crucial component of the atmospheric energy system, particularly the radiative balance within, above, and below the troposphere. The vertical distribution of cloud mass and phase determines layer heating rates, the loss of radiation to space, and the amount of radiative heating at the surface. Thus, it is important to know how clouds are distributed both vertically and horizontally at all times of day. Satellite remote sensing is the only approach available to monitor clouds day and night around the globe. In this paper several artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms, employing several Aqua MODIS infrared channels, profiles of relative humidity and temperature from GMAO numerical weather analyses, and the retrieved total cloud visible optical depth, are trained to detect multilayer ice-over-water cloud systems and to retrieve some of their properties as identified by a year of 2008 Aqua MODIS data matched with CloudSat and CALIPSO (CC) cloud profiles. The CC lidar and radar profiles provide the vertical structure that serves as output truth for the multilayer algorithm. The neural networks were trained using one year (2008) of cloud top height data from the CC dataset, with correlation around 0.94 (0.95) and MAE as low as 0.82 (0.81) km for nonpolar regions during the day (night). Applying the trained ANN to independent year 2009 MODIS data resulted in a combined ML and single layer hit rate of 86.4% (85.1%) for nonpolar regions during the day (night). Since the ANN is trained using near-nadir MODIS pixels, infrared radiance corrections were developed as a function of view zenith angle from MODIS and applied to off-nadir pixels when processing MODIS swath data. The multilayer amount derived with the ANN is relatively invariant with increasing view zenith angle compared to the multilayer amount without the corrections.

MODIS↗

Single-Mode Projection Filters for Modal Parameter Identification for Flexible Structures

Single-mode projection filters are developed for eigensystem parameter identification from both analytical results and test data. Explicit formulations of these projection filters are derived using the orthogonal matrices of the controllability and observability matrices in the general sense. A global minimum optimization algorithm is applied to update the filter parameters by using the interval analysis method. The updated modal parameters represent the characteristics of the test data. For illustration of this new approach, a numerical simulation for the MAST beam structure is shown by using a one-dimensional global optimization algorithm to identify modal frequencies and damping. Another numerical simulation of a ten-mode structure is also presented by using a two-dimensional global optimization algorithm to illustrate the feasibility of the new method. The projection filters are practical for parallel processing implementation.

Huang, Jen-Kuang↗

Single-mode projection filters for modal parameter identification for flexible structures

Single-mode projection filters are developed for eigensystem parameter identification from both analytical results and test data. Explicit formulations of these projection filters are derived using the orthogonal matrices of the controllability and observability matrices in the general sense. A global minimum optimization algorithm is applied to update the filter parameters by using the interval analysis method. The updated modal parameters represent the characteristics of the test data. For illustration of this new approach, a numerical simulation for the MAST beam structure is shown by using a one-dimensional global optimization algorithm to identify modal frequencies and damping. The projection filters are practical for parallel processing implementation.

Huang, Jen-Kuang↗