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At least 145 records · Page 8

Parallel language constructs for tensor product computations on loosely coupled architectures

Distributed memory architectures offer high levels of performance and flexibility, but have proven awkard to program. Current languages for nonshared memory architectures provide a relatively low level programming environment, and are poorly suited to modular programming, and to the construction of libraries. A set of language primitives designed to allow the specification of parallel numerical algorithms at a higher level is described. Tensor product array computations are focused on along with a simple but important class of numerical algorithms. The problem of programming 1-D kernal routines is focused on first, such as parallel tridiagonal solvers, and then how such parallel kernels can be combined to form parallel tensor product algorithms is examined.

Mehrotra, Piyush

A Tool for Automatic Data Distribution for CFD Applications on Structured Grids

Development of HPF versions of NPB and ARC3D has shown that HPF provides an efficient, concise way to express parallelism and to organize data traffic. The use of HPF, as noted in the papers, requires an intimate knowledge of the applications and a detailed analysis of data affinity, data movement, and data granularity. To simplify and accelerate the task of developing HPF versions of existing CFD applications we have designed and implemented ADAPT (Automatic Data Alignment and Placement Tool). ADAPT analyzes a CFD application working on a single structured grid and generates HPF TEMPLATE, (RE)DISTRIBUTION, ALIGNMENT, and INDEPENDENT directives. The directives can be generated on the nest level, subroutine level, application level, or on the application interface level. ADAPT annotates an existing CFD FORTRAN application, performing computations on single or multiple grids. On each grid the application is considered as a sequence of operators, each applied to a set of variables defined in a particular grid domain. ADAPT automatically detects implicit operators (i.e., having data dependences) and explicit operators (without data dependences). For parallelization of an explicit operator ADAPT creates a template for the operator domain, aligns arrays used in the operator with the template, distributes the template, and declares the loops over the distributed dimensions as INDEPENDENT. For parallelization of an implicit operator, the distribution of the operator's domain should be consistent with the operator's dependences. Any dependence between sections distributed on different processors would preclude parallelization if the compiler does not have an ability to pipeline computations. If a data distribution is "orthogonal" to the dependences of an implicit operator, then the loop which implements the operator can be declared as INDEPENDENT. ADAPT starts with an analysis of array index expressions of the loop nests. For each pair of arrays referenced in an assignment statement, it generates an arc in the alignment graph and annotates it with an affinity relation. The template, alignment, and distribution directives for a particular loop nest are then derived from a transitive closure of the affinity relation. A compromise of data distributions in different nests and subroutines is achieved by merging annotated alignment graphs for adjacent nests/stibroutine calls in the nest/call graph of the application in the process called distribution lifting. ADAPT has been implemented as a C++ program running in conjunction with a parallelization tool called CAPTools. ADAPT uses the parse tree, interprocedural analysis and application database generated by CAPTools. It also uses the Directed Graph class, initially implemented in p2d2 (parallel debugger oi distributed programs), and some other classes supporting symbolic computations. ADAPT uses data distribution techniques described. ADAPT was tested with ARC3D and the FT benchmark and has demonstrated a code performance within a factor of 1.5 of handwritten versions.

Frumkin, Michael

An improved multilevel optimization approach for the design of complex engineering systems

Multilevel optimization methods are being considered for the design of complex systems on distributed networks of computers or even parallel processors. An obstacle to the use of multilevel methods is that they can be computationally expensive because of the cycling necessary to account for the coupling between the subproblems. This research effort aims at increasing the efficiency of multilevel optimization by adapting two techniques that are widely used in conventional one-level optimization: constraint approximation and temporary constraint deletion. These improvements are implemented and tested on three-, ten- and 52-bar planar truss designs. The results show that for larger problems (approximately 100 design variables and larger), the cost of analysis dominates the total cost so that multilevel optimization is no more expensive than one-level optimization. If parallel processing is used or the analysis process itself is decomposed, then multilevel optimization stands to become more economical than one-level optimization.

Barthelemy, J.-F. M.

Programming model for distributed intelligent systems

A programming model and architecture which was developed for the design and implementation of complex, heterogeneous measurement and control systems is described. The Multigraph Architecture integrates artificial intelligence techniques with conventional software technologies, offers a unified framework for distributed and shared memory based parallel computational models and supports multiple programming paradigms. The system can be implemented on different hardware architectures and can be adapted to strongly different applications.

Sztipanovits, J.

Software environment for implementing engineering applications on MIMD computers

In this paper the concept for a software environment for developing engineering application systems for multiprocessor hardware (MIMD) is presented. The philosophy employed is to solve the largest problems possible in a reasonable amount of time, rather than solve existing problems faster. In the proposed environment most of the problems concerning parallel computation and handling of large distributed data spaces are hidden from the application program developer, thereby facilitating the development of large-scale software applications. Applications developed under the environment can be executed on a variety of MIMD hardware; it protects the application software from the effects of a rapidly changing MIMD hardware technology.

Lopez, L. A.

Hyperswitch Communication Network Computer

Hyperswitch Communications Network (HCN) computer is prototype multiple-processor computer being developed. Incorporates improved version of hyperswitch communication network described in "Hyperswitch Network For Hypercube Computer" (NPO-16905). Designed to support high-level software and expansion of itself. HCN computer is message-passing, multiple-instruction/multiple-data computer offering significant advantages over older single-processor and bus-based multiple-processor computers, with respect to price/performance ratio, reliability, availability, and manufacturing. Design of HCN operating-system software provides flexible computing environment accommodating both parallel and distributed processing. Also achieves balance among following competing factors; performance in processing and communications, ease of use, and tolerance of (and recovery from) faults.

Peterson, John C.

A MIMD implementation of a parallel Euler solver for unstructured grids

A mesh-vertex finite volume scheme for solving the Euler equations on triangular unstructured meshes is implemented on a MIMD (multiple instruction/multiple data stream) parallel computer. Three partitioning strategies for distributing the work load onto the processors are discussed. Issues pertaining to the communication costs are also addressed. We find that the spectral bisection strategy yields the best performance. The performance of this unstructured computation on the Intel iPSC/860 compares very favorably with that on a one-processor CRAY Y-MP/1 and an earlier implementation on the Connection Machine.

Venkatakrishnan, V.

A Java-Enabled Interactive Graphical Gas Turbine Propulsion System Simulator

This paper describes a gas turbine simulation system which utilizes the newly developed Java language environment software system. The system provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the quick and efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine propulsion systems. The simulation system couples a graphical user interface, developed using the Java Abstract Window Toolkit, and a transient, space- averaged, aero-thermodynamic gas turbine analysis method, both entirely coded in the Java language. The combined package provides analytical, graphical and data management tools which allow the user to construct and control engine simulations by manipulating graphical objects on the computer display screen. Distributed simulations, including parallel processing and distributed database access across the Internet and World-Wide Web (WWW), are made possible through services provided by the Java environment.

Reed, John A.

Support for Debugging Automatically Parallelized Programs

This viewgraph presentation provides information on the technical aspects of debugging computer code that has been automatically converted for use in a parallel computing system. Shared memory parallelization and distributed memory parallelization entail separate and distinct challenges for a debugging program. A prototype system has been developed which integrates various tools for the debugging of automatically parallelized programs including the CAPTools Database which provides variable definition information across subroutines as well as array distribution information.

Hood, Robert

Integrated Diagnostics and Prognostics for the Electrical Power System of a Planetary Rover

For electric vehicles, technology for monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis of the electrical power system (EPS) becomes essential for safe and efficient operation. To this end, we develop a general system-level integrated diagnosis and prognosis framework, which detects, isolates, and identifies EPS faults, and predicts when the EPS will fail to deliver sufficient power. The approach takes advantage of recent work in structural model decomposition in order to distribute the global diagnosis and prognosis problems into local subproblems that can be solved in parallel, thus enabling implementation on distributed computational platforms. The framework is applied to the EPS of a planetary rover testbed, and is demonstrated using data from field experiments.

Daigle, Matthew

Distributed control architecture for real-time telerobotic operation

The emerging field of telerobotics places new demands on control system architecture to allow both autonomous operations and natural human-machine interfacing. The feasibility of multiprocessor systems performing parallel control computations is realizable. A practical distribution of control processors is presented and the issues involved in the realization of this architecture are discussed. A prototype dual axis controller based on the NOVIX computer is described, and results of its implementation are discussed. Application of this type of control system to a replicated, redundant manipulator system is also described.

Martin, H. L.

Efficient computation of aerodynamic influence coefficients for aeroelastic analysis on a transputer network

Aeroelastic analysis is multi-disciplinary and computationally expensive. Hence, it can greatly benefit from parallel processing. As part of an effort to develop an aeroelastic capability on a distributed memory transputer network, a parallel algorithm for the computation of aerodynamic influence coefficients is implemented on a network of 32 transputers. The aerodynamic influence coefficients are calculated using a 3-D unsteady aerodynamic model and a parallel discretization. Efficiencies up to 85 percent were demonstrated using 32 processors. The effect of subtask ordering, problem size, and network topology are presented. A comparison to results on a shared memory computer indicates that higher speedup is achieved on the distributed memory system.

Janetzke, David C.

Simulation of electron distributions within auroral acceleration regions

Plasma data from the Dynamics Explorer 1 satellite are used to investigate the electron distributions found within regions of parallel potential drops. A computer simulation was developed to predict major features of the observed electron distributions found within these regions. The simulation results are discussed and compared with observations. Good agreement is observed only when the potential distribution along the field line is split into separate potential drops, one above and one below the satellite. The simulated electron distribution exhibits a trapped particle region, the formation of the electron hole, and the evacuation of the loss cone.

Gurgiolo, C.

Performance issues for domain-oriented time-driven distributed simulations

It has long been recognized that simulations form an interesting and important class of computations that may benefit from distributed or parallel processing. Since the point of parallel processing is improved performance, the recent proliferation of multiprocessors requires that we consider the performance issues that naturally arise when attempting to implement a distributed simulation. Three such issues are: (1) the problem of mapping the simulation onto the architecture, (2) the possibilities for performing redundant computation in order to reduce communication, and (3) the avoidance of deadlock due to distributed contention for message-buffer space. These issues are discussed in the context of a battlefield simulation implemented on a medium-scale multiprocessor message-passing architecture.

Nicol, David M.

LATTE: open-source, high-performance traveltime computation, tomography and source location in acoustic and elastic media

Traveltime-based tomography and source location are fundamental approaches for imaging subsurface structures and understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of seismicity from local to global scales. We present an open-source, high-performance framework integrating eikonal equation solvers and adjoint-state theory for traveltime computation, velocity tomography, source location and joint tomography-location in 2-D/3-D acoustic and elastic media. We introduce novel regularization schemes based on total generalized p-variation, structural similarity and multitask machine learning to enhance the fidelity and interpretability of inverted models and source locations. Key features of our implementation also include the ability to leverage both absolute-difference and double-difference traveltime misfits for high-fidelity velocity tomography and source parameter estimation; support for traveltime computation and inversion in diverse 2-D/3-D scenarios with arbitrary source and receiver distributions; and a perturbation-based optimal step-size estimation method to reduce computational costs. In addition, our implementation employs shared-memory and distributed-memory parallelization to provide an efficient solution for traveltime computation, tomography, and source location. In conclusion, we validate the efficacy and accuracy of our approach through multiple synthetic data examples.

58 GEOSCIENCES

Three-dimensional object tracking system and method employing plural sensors and plural processors for performing parallel processing

A multiple sensor/multiple processor 3-D tracking system includes multiple sensor (camera) and DSP combinations and a controller connected so as to create a parallel computer from the multiple DSPs. The camera/DSP combinations and the controller are connected together to form a ring. For 3-D position measurement and tracking applications, each camera/DSP combination is programmed with an identical program to function as a node in a true parallel computer, and the transformation equations are solved in a distributed fashion using the entire parallel machine. The distributed processor processes the camera x and y point measurements in a distributed and parallel fashion to yield a solution to the coordinate transformation equations much more quickly than is possible with multiple camera/DSP combinations and a single processor.

Welch, Sharon S.

Multidisciplinary High-Fidelity Analysis and Optimization of Aerospace Vehicles: Formulation - Part 1

An objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity, finite element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis in a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment that includes high performance parallel computing. A software system has been designed and implemented to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, into a distributed computational environment for the design of a highspeed civil transport configuration. The paper describes the engineering aspects of formulating the optimization by integrating these analysis codes and associated interface codes into the system. The discipline codes are integrated by using the Java programming language and a Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) compliant software product. A companion paper presents currently available results.

Walsh, J. L.

Multidisciplinary High-Fidelity Analysis and Optimization of Aerospace Vehicles: Preliminary Results - Part 2

An objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity finite-element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis in a distributed, heterogeneous computing environment that includes high performance parallel computing. A software system has been designed and implemented to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, into a distributed computational environment for the design of a high-speed civil transport configuration. The paper describes both the preliminary results from implementing and validating the multidisciplinary analysis and the results from an aerodynamic optimization. The discipline codes are integrated by using the Java programming language and a Common Object Request Broker Architecture compliant software product. A companion paper describes the formulation of the multidisciplinary analysis and optimization system.

Walsh, J. L.