29,755 research outputs found
A Multi-GPU Programming Library for Real-Time Applications
We present MGPU, a C++ programming library targeted at single-node multi-GPU
systems. Such systems combine disproportionate floating point performance with
high data locality and are thus well suited to implement real-time algorithms.
We describe the library design, programming interface and implementation
details in light of this specific problem domain. The core concepts of this
work are a novel kind of container abstraction and MPI-like communication
methods for intra-system communication. We further demonstrate how MGPU is used
as a framework for porting existing GPU libraries to multi-device
architectures. Putting our library to the test, we accelerate an iterative
non-linear image reconstruction algorithm for real-time magnetic resonance
imaging using multiple GPUs. We achieve a speed-up of about 1.7 using 2 GPUs
and reach a final speed-up of 2.1 with 4 GPUs. These promising results lead us
to conclude that multi-GPU systems are a viable solution for real-time MRI
reconstruction as well as signal-processing applications in general.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure
Accelerated Modeling of Near and Far-Field Diffraction for Coronagraphic Optical Systems
Accurately predicting the performance of coronagraphs and tolerancing optical
surfaces for high-contrast imaging requires a detailed accounting of
diffraction effects. Unlike simple Fraunhofer diffraction modeling, near and
far-field diffraction effects, such as the Talbot effect, are captured by
plane-to-plane propagation using Fresnel and angular spectrum propagation. This
approach requires a sequence of computationally intensive Fourier transforms
and quadratic phase functions, which limit the design and aberration
sensitivity parameter space which can be explored at high-fidelity in the
course of coronagraph design. This study presents the results of optimizing the
multi-surface propagation module of the open source Physical Optics Propagation
in PYthon (POPPY) package. This optimization was performed by implementing and
benchmarking Fourier transforms and array operations on graphics processing
units, as well as optimizing multithreaded numerical calculations using the
NumExpr python library where appropriate, to speed the end-to-end simulation of
observatory and coronagraph optical systems. Using realistic systems, this
study demonstrates a greater than five-fold decrease in wall-clock runtime over
POPPY's previous implementation and describes opportunities for further
improvements in diffraction modeling performance.Comment: Presented at SPIE ASTI 2018, Austin Texas. 11 pages, 6 figure
Data Provenance and Management in Radio Astronomy: A Stream Computing Approach
New approaches for data provenance and data management (DPDM) are required
for mega science projects like the Square Kilometer Array, characterized by
extremely large data volume and intense data rates, therefore demanding
innovative and highly efficient computational paradigms. In this context, we
explore a stream-computing approach with the emphasis on the use of
accelerators. In particular, we make use of a new generation of high
performance stream-based parallelization middleware known as InfoSphere
Streams. Its viability for managing and ensuring interoperability and integrity
of signal processing data pipelines is demonstrated in radio astronomy. IBM
InfoSphere Streams embraces the stream-computing paradigm. It is a shift from
conventional data mining techniques (involving analysis of existing data from
databases) towards real-time analytic processing. We discuss using InfoSphere
Streams for effective DPDM in radio astronomy and propose a way in which
InfoSphere Streams can be utilized for large antennae arrays. We present a
case-study: the InfoSphere Streams implementation of an autocorrelating
spectrometer, and using this example we discuss the advantages of the
stream-computing approach and the utilization of hardware accelerators
Solving the Klein-Gordon equation using Fourier spectral methods: A benchmark test for computer performance
The cubic Klein-Gordon equation is a simple but non-trivial partial
differential equation whose numerical solution has the main building blocks
required for the solution of many other partial differential equations. In this
study, the library 2DECOMP&FFT is used in a Fourier spectral scheme to solve
the Klein-Gordon equation and strong scaling of the code is examined on
thirteen different machines for a problem size of 512^3. The results are useful
in assessing likely performance of other parallel fast Fourier transform based
programs for solving partial differential equations. The problem is chosen to
be large enough to solve on a workstation, yet also of interest to solve
quickly on a supercomputer, in particular for parametric studies. Unlike other
high performance computing benchmarks, for this problem size, the time to
solution will not be improved by simply building a bigger supercomputer.Comment: 10 page
Multiple scattering theory for polycrystalline materials with strong grain anisotropy: theoretical fundamentals and applications
This work is a natural extension of the authors previous work, Multiple
scattering theory for heterogeneous elastic continua with strong property
fluctuation, theoretical fundamentals and applications, which established the
foundation for developing multiple scattering model for strongly scattering
heterogeneous elastic continua. In this work, the corresponding multiple
scattering theory for polycrystalline materials with randomly oriented
anisotropic crystallites is developed. As applications in ultrasonic
nondestructive evaluation, we calculated the dispersion and attenuation
coefficient of one of the most important polycrystalline materials in
aeronautics engineering, high temperature titanium alloys. The effects of grain
symmetry, grain size, and alloying elements on the dispersion and attenuation
behaviors are examined. Key information is obtained which has significant
implications for quantitatively evaluating the average grain size, monitoring
the phase transition, and even estimating gradual change in chemical
composition of titanium components in gas turbine engines. For applications in
seismology, the velocities and Q-factors for both hexagonal and cubic
polycrystalline iron models for the Earth uppermost inner core are obtained in
the whole frequency range. This work provides a universal, quantitative model
for characterization of a large variety of polycrystalline materials. It also
can be extended to incorporate more complicated microstructures, including
ellipsoidal grains with or without textures, and even multiphase
polycrystalline materials. The new model demonstrates great potential of
applications in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation and inspection of
aerospace and aeronautic structures. It also provides a theoretical framework
for quantitative seismic data explanation and inversion for the material
composition and structural formations of the Earth inner core.Comment: 37 pages, 16 figure
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