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At least 1,585 records · Page 88

Cache Locality Optimization for Recursive Programs

We present an approach to optimize the cache locality for recursive programs by dynamically splicing--recursively interleaving--the execution of distinct function invocations. By utilizing data effect annotations, we identify concurrency and data reuse opportunities across function invocations and interleave them to reduce reuse distance. We present algorithms that efficiently track effects in recursive programs, detect interference and dependencies, and interleave execution of function invocations using user-level (non-kernel) lightweight threads. To enable multi-core execution, a program is parallelized using a nested fork/join programming model. Our cache optimization strategy is designed to work in the context of a random work stealing scheduler. We present an implementation using the MIT Cilk framework that demonstrates significant improvements in sequential and parallel performance, competitive with a state-of-the-art compile-time optimizer for loop programs and a domain- specific optimizer for stencil programs.

Lifflander, Jonathan↗

E4D_RT

Time-lapse ERT imaging for monitoring both natural and engineered subsurface processes has advanced rapidly over the past 15-20 years. However, imaging results generally required a significant amount of manual and computational effort, and therefore were not available while the process was occurring. Although the value of real-time imaging was recognized, several obstacles prevented it's implementation. E4D_RT addresses these obstacles by 1) providing specialized algorithms that negate the need for user intervention, thereby automating the time-lapse data processing steps, 2) linking field data collection systems with parallel supercomputing systems via wireless data transfer link, and 3) addressing the computational burdens by utilizing distributed memory supercomputing resources, thereby enabling rapid data processing and imaging results.

Source record↗

Decomposing Loosely Coupled Mixed-Integer Programs for Optimal Microgrid Design

Microgrids are frequently employed in remote regions, in part because access to a larger electric grid is impossible, difficult, or compromises reliability and independence. Although small microgrids often employ spot generation, in which a diesel generator is attached directly to a load, microgrids that combine these individual loads and augment generators with photovoltaic cells and batteries as a distributed energy system are emerging as a safer, less costly alternative. In this work, we present a model that seeks the minimum-cost microgrid design and ideal dispatched power to support a small remote site for one year with hourly fidelity under a detailed battery model; this mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP) is intractable with commercial solvers but loosely coupled with respect to time. A mixed-integer linear program (MIP) approximates the model, and a partitioning scheme linearizes the bilinear terms. We introduce a novel policy for loosely coupled MIPs in which the system reverts to equivalent conditions at regular time intervals; this separates the problem into subproblems that we solve in parallel. We obtain solutions within 5% of optimality in at most six minutes across 14 MIP instances from the literature and solutions within 5% of optimality to the MINLP instances within 20 minutes.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Task mapping for non-contiguous allocations.

This paper examines task mapping algorithms for non-contiguously allocated parallel jobs. Several studies have shown that task placement affects job running time for both contiguously and non-contiguously allocated jobs. Traditionally, work on task mapping either uses a very general model where the job has an arbitrary communication pattern or assumes that jobs are allocated contiguously, making them completely isolated from each other. A middle ground between these two cases is the mapping problem for non-contiguous jobs having a specific communication pattern. We propose several task mapping algorithms for jobs with a stencil communication pattern and evaluate them using experiments and simulations. Our strategies improve the running time of a MiniApp by as much as 30% over a baseline strategy. Furthermore, this improvement increases markedly with the job size, demonstrating the importance of task mapping as systems grow toward exascale.

Leung, Vitus Joseph↗

Eu(III) and Cm(III) Complexation by the Aminocarboxylates NTA, EDTA, and EGTA Studied with NMR, TRLFS, and ITC—An Improved Approach to More Robust Thermodynamics

The complex formation of Eu(III) and Cm(III) was studied via tetradentate, hexadentate, and octadentate coordinating ligands of the aminopolycarboxylate family, viz., nitrilotriacetate (NTA 3- ), ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA 4- ), and ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate (EGTA 4- ), respectively. Based on the complexones’ pK a values obtained from 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic pH titration, complex formation constants were determined by means of the parallel-factor-analysis-assisted evaluation of Eu(III) and Cm(III) time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). This was complemented by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), providing the enthalpy and entropy of the complex formation. This allowed us to obtain genuine species along with their molecular structures and corresponding reliable thermodynamic data. The three investigated complexones formed 1:1 complexes with both Eu(III) and Cm(III). Besides the established Eu(III)–NTA 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, we observed, for the first time, the existence of a Eu(III)–NTA 2:2 complex of millimolar metal and ligand concentrations. Demonstrated for thermodynamic studies on Eu(III) and Cm(III) interaction with complexones, the utilized approach is commonly applicable to many other metal–ligand systems, even to high-affinity ligands.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The Urban Observatory: A Multi-Modal Imaging Platform for the Study of Dynamics in Complex Urban Systems

We describe an “Urban Observatory” facility designed for the study of complex urban systems via persistent, synoptic, and granular imaging of dynamical processes in cities. An initial deployment of the facility has been demonstrated in New York City and consists of a suite of imaging systems—both broadband and hyperspectral—sensitive to wavelengths from the visible (∼400 nm) to the infrared (∼13 micron) operating at cadences of ∼0.01–30 Hz (characteristically ∼0.1 Hz). Much like an astronomical survey, the facility generates a large imaging catalog from which we have extracted observables (e.g., time-dependent brightnesses, spectra, temperatures, chemical species, etc.), collecting them in a parallel source catalog. We have demonstrated that, in addition to the urban science of cities as systems, these data are applicable to a myriad of domain-specific scientific inquiries related to urban functioning including energy consumption and end use, environmental impacts of cities, and patterns of life and public health. We show that an Urban Observatory facility of this type has the potential to improve both a city’s operations and the quality of life of its inhabitants.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Gapped toroid provides infinite resolution of delay-line pickup

Gapped toroid magnetically coupled to a delay line provides continuous adjustment of the time delay line signal retrieval. A rotating screw moves the toroid pickup parallel to the delay line. This device can be used in signal detection devices and instrumentation equipment.

Robinson, G. B.↗

Computer control of a far infrared interferometer

A simple interface has been designed for the automatic control and data collection from a Grubb Parsons Mark III cube interferometer. A computer is used to automatically step the movable mirror on the interferometer. Data may be directly input into the computer for immediate transformation or stored for later analysis via a fast Fourier transformation. The interface is based on a commercial analog-to-digital converter having a parallel-to-serial data converter. The device can also display ASCII characters sent from the computer in parallel binary code. The system is applicable to recording interferograms having long time durations and to measuring multiple interferograms for statistical averaging.

Breecher, J.↗

An efficient user-oriented method for calculating compressible flow about three-dimensional inlets

This method uses a so-called panel method to calculate incompressible flow about arbitrary three-dimensional inlets with or without centerbodies for four fundamental flow conditions: unit onset flows parallel to each of the coordinate axes plus static operation. The computing time is scarcely longer than for a single solution. A linear superposition of these solutions quite rigorously gives incompressible flow about the inlet for any angle of attack, angle of yaw, and mass flow rate. Compressibility is accounted for by applying a well-proven correction to the incompressible flow. Since the computing times for the combination and the compressibility correction are small, flows at a large number of inlet operating conditions are obtained very cheaply. A number of graphical output features are provided to aid the user, including streamline tracing and automatic generation of curves of constant pressure, Mach number, and flow inclination at selected inlet cross sections. This paper describes the method in some detail and presents calculated results.

Hess, J. L.↗

An efficient user-oriented method for calculating compressible flow in an about three-dimensional inlets

A panel method is used to calculate incompressible flow about arbitrary three-dimensional inlets with or without centerbodies for four fundamental flow conditions: unit onset flows parallel to each of the coordinate axes plus static operation. The computing time is scarcely longer than for a single solution. A linear superposition of these solutions quite rigorously gives incompressible flow about the inlet for any angle of attack, angle of yaw, and mass flow rate. Compressibility is accounted for by applying a well-proven correction to the incompressible flow. Since the computing times for the combination and the compressibility correction are small, flows at a large number of inlet operating conditions are obtained rather cheaply. Geometric input is aided by an automatic generating program. A number of graphical output features are provided to aid the user, including surface streamline tracing and automatic generation of curves of curves of constant pressure, Mach number, and flow inclination at selected inlet cross sections. The inlet method and use of the program are described. Illustrative results are presented.

Hess, J. L.↗

The science of computing - The evolution of parallel processing

The present paper is concerned with the approaches to be employed to overcome the set of limitations in software technology which impedes currently an effective use of parallel hardware technology. The process required to solve the arising problems is found to involve four different stages. At the present time, Stage One is nearly finished, while Stage Two is under way. Tentative explorations are beginning on Stage Three, and Stage Four is more distant. In Stage One, parallelism is introduced into the hardware of a single computer, which consists of one or more processors, a main storage system, a secondary storage system, and various peripheral devices. In Stage Two, parallel execution of cooperating programs on different machines becomes explicit, while in Stage Three, new languages will make parallelism implicit. In Stage Four, there will be very high level user interfaces capable of interacting with scientists at the same level of abstraction as scientists do with each other.

Denning, P. J.↗

Archaean megacrystic plagioclase units and the tectonic setting of greenstones

Large (up to 20 cm), equidimensional, commonly euhedral, plagioclase megacrysts of highly calcic composition (An sub 80-90) occur commonly in all Archean cratons in one or more of three distinct associations: (1) as cumulate crystal segregations of anorthosite or as megacrysts in basaltic dikes, sills, and flows in greenstone belts that vary in metamorphic grade from greenschist to granulite. Throughout 100's of thousands of square kilometers of northwestern Ontario and Manitoba the plagioclase megacrysts occur in pillowed and massive flows, sills, dikes, large inclusions in dikes, and intrusive anorthositic complexes with areas of up to a few 100 sq km and spanning a period of at least 100 m.y. in the 2.7 to 2.8 b.y. time frame; (2) as basaltic dike swarms in stable cratonic areas forming parallel to subparallel patterns over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers intruding both granitic gneisses and supracrustal belts including greenstones. These swams include the Ameralik-Saglek system at 3.1 to 3.4 b.y., the Matachewan system at 2.5 to 2.6 b.y., and the Beartooth-Bighorn system at 2.2 to 2.3 b.y.; and, (3) as anorthositic complexes associated with marbles and quartzites (Sittampundi, India and Messina, South Africa) in granulite grade terrains. Initial attempts to correlate tectonic settings of similar modern crystbearing units with their Archean counterparts were only partially successful.

Phinney, W. C.↗

The field-aligned flow approximation for electrons within layers possessing a normal mass flux - A corollary to the deHoffmann-Teller theorem

In this paper, an approximate extension of the deHoffmann-Teller (1950) theorem for electrons within layers possessing a normal mass flux is derived. It is shown that the deHoffmann-Teller frame electron bulk velocity is nearly parallel to the magnetic field everywhere through those one-dimensional time-stationary layers which possess a normal mass flux, even though electric field perpendicular to the magnetic field exists throughout such layers. Examples of layers of this class are the fast and slow shocks as well as rotational discontinuities.

Scudder, J. D.↗

Parallel processing for digital picture comparison

In picture processing an important problem is to identify two digital pictures of the same scene taken under different lighting conditions. This kind of problem can be found in remote sensing, satellite signal processing and the related areas. The identification can be done by transforming the gray levels so that the gray level histograms of the two pictures are closely matched. The transformation problem can be solved by using the packing method. Researchers propose a VLSI architecture consisting of m x n processing elements with extensive parallel and pipelining computation capabilities to speed up the transformation with the time complexity 0(max(m,n)), where m and n are the numbers of the gray levels of the input picture and the reference picture respectively. If using uniprocessor and a dynamic programming algorithm, the time complexity will be 0(m(3)xn). The algorithm partition problem, as an important issue in VLSI design, is discussed. Verification of the proposed architecture is also given.

Cheng, H. D.↗

ISEE studies of the quasi-parallel bow shock

ISEE-1 and-2 plasma and magnetic field observations are used to examine several encounters with brief magnetic pulsations in the quasi-parallel region of the earth's bow shock. The two-spacecraft timing of the magnetic field signature is examined to see if the pulsation encounters are nested (as for back and forth motion of the shock over the spacecraft) or simply time-shifted (as for a structure convected anti-sunward across the spacecraft). Examples of both types of signatures are found, some within minutes of each other, suggesting that at least some pulsations probably originate from the growth and steepening of upstream waves but may eventually be able to stand in the upstream flow, perhaps becoming part of the shock surface itself. The possibility that some of the pulsations may simply be brief encounters with the moving shock is also not ruled out.

Thomsen, M. F.↗

Digital optical computers at the optoelectronic computing systems center

The Digital Optical Computing Program within the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Opto-electronic Computing Systems has as its specific goal research on optical computing architectures suitable for use at the highest possible speeds. The program can be targeted toward exploiting the time domain because other programs in the Center are pursuing research on parallel optical systems, exploiting optical interconnection and optical devices and materials. Using a general purpose computing architecture as the focus, we are developing design techniques, tools and architecture for operation at the speed of light limit. Experimental work is being done with the somewhat low speed components currently available but with architectures which will scale up in speed as faster devices are developed. The design algorithms and tools developed for a general purpose, stored program computer are being applied to other systems such as optimally controlled optical communication networks.

Jordan, Harry F.↗

Note on unit tangent vector computation for homotopy curve tracking on a hypercube

Probability-one homotopy methods are a class of methods for solving nonlinear systems of equations that are globally convergent from an arbitrary starting point. The essence of all such algorithms is the construction of an appropriate homotopy map and subsequent tracking of some smooth curve in the zero set of the homotopy map. Tracking a homotopy curve involves finding the unit tangent vector at different points along the zero curve, which amounts to calculating the kernel of the n x (n + 1) Jacobian matrix. While computing the tangent vector is just one part of the curve tracking algorithm, it can require a significant percentage of the total tracking time. This note presents computational results showing the performance of several different parallel orthogonal factorization/triangular system solving algorithms for the tangent vector computation on a hypercube.

Chakraborty, A.↗

Driving a car with custom-designed fuzzy inferencing VLSI chips and boards

Vehicle control in a-priori unknown, unpredictable, and dynamic environments requires many calculational and reasoning schemes to operate on the basis of very imprecise, incomplete, or unreliable data. For such systems, in which all the uncertainties can not be engineered away, approximate reasoning may provide an alternative to the complexity and computational requirements of conventional uncertainty analysis and propagation techniques. Two types of computer boards including custom-designed VLSI chips were developed to add a fuzzy inferencing capability to real-time control systems. All inferencing rules on a chip are processed in parallel, allowing execution of the entire rule base in about 30 microseconds, and therefore, making control of 'reflex-type' of motions envisionable. The use of these boards and the approach using superposition of elemental sensor-based behaviors for the development of qualitative reasoning schemes emulating human-like navigation in a-priori unknown environments are first discussed. Then how the human-like navigation scheme implemented on one of the qualitative inferencing boards was installed on a test-bed platform to investigate two control modes for driving a car in a-priori unknown environments on the basis of sparse and imprecise sensor data is described. In the first mode, the car navigates fully autonomously, while in the second mode, the system acts as a driver's aid providing the driver with linguistic (fuzzy) commands to turn left or right and speed up or slow down depending on the obstacles perceived by the sensors. Experiments with both modes of control are described in which the system uses only three acoustic range (sonar) sensor channels to perceive the environment. Simulation results as well as indoors and outdoors experiments are presented and discussed to illustrate the feasibility and robustness of autonomous navigation and/or safety enhancing driver's aid using the new fuzzy inferencing hardware system and some human-like reasoning schemes which may include as little as six elemental behaviors embodied in fourteen qualitative rules.

Pin, Francois G.↗