This project, acquiring a visualization facility (vizwall with high resolution display and high volume storage system to visualize large size data generated from diverse research activities), models polar ice sheets, oceans, atmospheric turbulent boundary layers, and geodynamics. The facility, whose main components consist of a visualization wall, a PRISM visualization server, and RAID storage disks, will be integrated to the university\u27s existing supercomputer cluster

Bhaganagar, Kiran

Fastook, James

Koons, Peter O.

Segee, Bruce E.

Xue, Huijie

English

University of Maine

The University of MaineDigitalCommons@UMaineUniversity of Maine Office of Research andSponsored Programs: Grant Reports Special Collections11-11-2009MRI: Acquisition of Interactive Visualization Toolsfor Supercomputer ModelsBruce E. SegeePrincipal Investigator; University of Maine, Orono, segee@maine.eduHuijie XueCo-Principal Investigator; University of Maine, Orono, hxue@maine.eduKiran BhaganagarCo-Principal Investigator; University of Maine, OronoJames FastookCo-Principal Investigator; University of Maine, Orono, fastook@maine.eduPeter O. KoonsCo-Principal Investigator; University of Maine, Orono, peter.koons@maine.eduFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/orsp_reportsPart of the Statistical Models CommonsThis Open-Access Report is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in University ofMaine Office of Research and Sponsored Programs: Grant Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For moreinformation, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu.Recommended CitationSegee, Bruce E.; Xue, Huijie; Bhaganagar, Kiran; Fastook, James; and Koons, Peter O., "MRI: Acquisition of Interactive VisualizationTools for Supercomputer Models" (2009). University of Maine Office of Research and Sponsored Programs: Grant Reports. 270.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/orsp_reports/270Final Report: 0619430Page 1 of 5Final Report for Period: 09/2008 - 08/2009 Submitted on: 11/11/2009Principal Investigator: Segee, Bruce E. Award ID: 0619430Organization: University of Maine       Submitted By: Segee, Bruce - Principal InvestigatorTitle:MRI: Acquisition of Interactive Visualization Tools for Supercomputer ModelsProject ParticipantsSenior PersonnelName: Segee, BruceWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Name: Fastook, JamesWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Name: Xue, HuijieWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Name: Koons, PeterWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Name: Bhaganagar, KiranWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Name: Zhu, YifengWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Provided expertise in selecting requirements for disk array, PVFS, configuration, and troubleshooting.  Supported by University ofMaine.Name: Koskie, JohnWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems manager for the UMaine Supercomputer, systems administration, support, PVFS setup and technical expertise.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Name: Bronder, JustinWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems manager for the UMaine Supercomputer, systems administration, support, PVFS setup and technical expertise.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Name: Dickens, PhilWorked for more than 160 Hours: NoContribution to Project: Final Report: 0619430Page 2 of 5Grid computing expertisePost-docGraduate StudentName: Blanchette, RogerWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Tiled visualization wall.Name: Albee, EmilyWorked for more than 160 Hours: NoContribution to Project: Educational outreach.Name: Bourgoin, NathanWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Helped develop system to remotely tie visualization hardware to in-classroom K-12 laptop walls.  Created large, permanentvisualization wall.Name: Withee, JasonWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Helped develop system to remotely tie visualization hardware to in-classroom K-12 laptop walls.  Created large permanentvisualization wall.Undergraduate StudentName: Cousins, SteveWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems administration and disk selection and configuration, selection and setup of visualization server and software.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Name: Bane, JosephWorked for more than 160 Hours: NoContribution to Project: Technical assistance.Technician, ProgrammerName: Cousins, SteveWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems administration and disk selection and configuration, selection and setup of visualization server and software.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Name: Koskie, JohnWorked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems manager for the UMaine Supercomputer, systems administration, support, PVFS setup and technical expertise.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Name: Bronder, JustinFinal Report: 0619430Page 3 of 5Worked for more than 160 Hours: YesContribution to Project: Systems manager for the UMaine Supercomputer, systems administration, support, PVFS setup and technical expertise.  Supportedby the University of Maine.Other ParticipantResearch Experience for UndergraduatesOrganizational PartnersOther Collaborators or ContactsThe Jackson Laboratories, The University of Southern Maine, Maine Department of Education, especially the Maine Learning TechnologyInitiative, and Maine Mathmatics and Science Alliance.Activities and FindingsResearch and Education Activities:This MRI grant is for the purpose of adding visualization infrastructure to the Univrsity of Maine Supercomputer.  This in conjunction withhigher bandwidth connectivity has allowed us to reach out, particularly to the Maine middle schools in which every student has a laptopcomputer.  The equipment purchased with this award have been instrumental in supporting an NSF ITEST award in which middle schoolteachers use supercomputing and visualization in the classroom.  It has also been instrumental in support an NSF REU site in supercompting.Findings:We have found a tremendous interest in middle school teachers and students in computer modelling and visualization.  We have submitted anNSF ITEST to further this activity.  This ITEST has been awarded and the first cadre of teachers is currently going through.  The REU site hasbeen awarded and the first cadre of undergraduates is going through.  The visualization equipment is key to the success of both of theseendeavors.Training and Development:The visulization tools have allowed improved use of multiple laptops in the classroom.  'Collaborative visualization' allow student teams topool their compute resources to provide a larger display.  Computer models are rendered to animations that can be viewed using Google Earthsoftware.We have advanced the body of knowledge in the area of high performance visualization, by building and documenting our visualization walls.  Most importantly, we have achieved our stated goal of improving collaborations between different modelling groups at the University of Maineand across the state.Outreach Activities:We are actively engaged in reaching out to the middle school teachers and students with school visits as well as on-campus workshops.  Inaddition to ITEST and REU activity, we have hosted the M-STEM conference for the previous two years for over 600 middle school teachersand students and participated in the 'Integrating Science and Mathematics Education Research into Teaching' conference in June 2008.We have created collaborations with other organizations in the state for research and educational outreach.Journal PublicationsBooks or Other One-time PublicationsFinal Report: 0619430Page 4 of 5Xiongyi Liu, Bruce Segee, Peter Koons, Molly Schauffler and Yifeng Zhu, "Using Inquiry-based Applications of Supercomputing to EnhanceScience Education in Middle Schools", (2008).  , PublishedBibliography: the 19th International Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, March 3-7, 2008Samuel A. Winchenbach, M. Clayton Wheeler, Mauricio Pereira da Cunha, Bruce E. Segee, "Demonstrating A Novel Approach To TheControl Of Microhotplate Sensors Utilizing A Distributed Computing Approach And Numeric Modeling", (2007).  , PublishedBibliography: Proceedings AICHE Annual meeting, Salt Lake City Utah, November 2007Bruce Segee, Mary Jane Perry, Caleb Carter, Roger Blanchette, Samuel Winchenbach, "Visualization Of Large Scientific Data Sets On AParallel System With A Tiled Display", (2007).  , PublishedBibliography: Proceedings of The 19th IASTED International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Computing and Systems PDCS 2007,Cambridge, MA, November, 2007Kiran Bhaganagar, Ryan Beaumont and Bruce Segee, "Flow characterization in stenotic coronary artery using Direct Numerical Simulation",(2007).  , PublishedBibliography: Proceedings  Biomedical Engineering Society Annual meeting, Los Angeles, CA, September 2007Roger Blanchette, "Hardware and Software Solutions for Low Cost Distributed Visualization", (2008). Thesis, PublishedBibliography: Master's Thesis, University of MaineCaleb Carter,, "High Resolution Visualization of Large Scientific Data Sets Using Tiled Displays", (2007). Thesis, PublishedBibliography: Master's Thesis, University of MaineWeb/Internet SiteOther Specific ProductsContributionsContributions within Discipline: This multidiciplinary work seeks to improve cooperation and communication across disciplines by providing visualization tools to allow formore natural processing of computational output.Contributions to Other Disciplines: This work is inherently cross disciplinary.  In light of research it ties ocean, land, atmosphere and polar ice modelling together.  In light ofeducation, it allows a natural way to understand the output of computer models.Contributions to Human Resource Development: We have trained students and teachers in the use of technologyContributions to Resources for Research and Education: The MRI funding is primarily for physical resources that will be used for research and education at the University.  It is significant that theseresources will also be used in K-12 education.  At the University of Maine, the research findings and concepts are being incorporated into twoinnovative NSF-funded education programs to provide college undergraduates as well as middle-school teachers and their students firsthandexperiences in scientific computing. (1) The Supercomputing Undergraduate Program in Maine (SuperMe), funded by a $300,000 grant fromNSF, is an opportunity for 10 UMaine undergraduate students to spend the summer conducting the kind of sophisticated, meaningful scientificresearch that is usually reserved for more advanced students.  (2) With a separate $1.2 million NSF grant, another three-year program aims tointegrate supercomputer modeling into the Maine middle-school science curriculum.  Called Inquiry-based Dynamic Earth Applications ofSupercomputing (IDEAS), the program will allow 20 middle-school teachers and 60 of their students each year to explore the myriadintricacies of UMaine's climate computer model by accessing the supercomputer with their state-issued laptops. This equipment is made vastlymore valuable by recent networking investments by the State of Maine, improving connectvitiy across the state.Contributions Beyond Science and Engineering: We are making contributions to K-12 education that will promote the public welfare.Final Report: 0619430Page 5 of 5Conference ProceedingsCategories for which nothing is reported: Organizational PartnersAny JournalAny Web/Internet SiteAny ProductAny ConferenceAcquisition of interactive visualization tools for supercomputer models  The purpose of this MRI was to provide visualization tools necessary to improve the understanding of computer models, by the researchers intimately familiar with the computer models, by the researchers in other fields, and by laypeople.  The goals were outlined in the proposal, the Intellectual merit and Broader impacts sections of the project summary are included below:  Intellectual Merit: The ability to view massive data sets quickly and easily provides a means of assimilating data like no other. It allows data to be explored in a far more natural and efficient manner and allows a fuller understanding of data, particularly when the data has a physical interpretation, such as the movement of polar ice. Perhaps the greatest intellectual merit, however, is the vastly improved ability to communicate results to others in the same field, and more significantly, to those in different fields and to students throughout the state.   Broader impacts: The broader impacts of the proposed visualization equipment flow very naturally from the intellectual merit. As is evidenced by the broad spectrum of co-PIs, senior personnel, and supporters of this proposal, the benefits of visualization of computer models will be of tremendous benefit across the research, educational, and business spectrum. Visualization allows one to convey information quickly, easily, and effectively to people having different backgrounds and brings the computer model closer to the real world. We believe that the proposed equipment is the single most important tool to advance research using numeric modeling, to foster interdisciplinary research, and to effectively bring research results into K12 classrooms, by leveraging on the state's success of the student laptop computer program.  We have been entirely successful in attaining our stated objectives.  We have put in place shared infrastructure that is being used by a highly diverse set of people for research, education, and communication.  We have supported numerous NSF sponsored projects and fostered state and regional collaboration.    An example of a successful outcome is our being invited to present at the Education Technology Showcase in Washington  November 3-4, 2009.  The photograph shown below, in Figure 1, shows our posters demonstrating the usage as well as a wall of laptop computers (the wall was 4X4 although the photograph cuts part off) similar to those in use in Maine classrooms.  The graphical rendering is being done in Orono, Maine.  Following figure 1 is a series of images relevant to this project.    Figure 1: Snapshot of the practice session at NSF for the 2009 Education Technology Showcase in Washington, D.C.   Figure 2: A 100 TByte disk array to support modeling and visualization   Figure 3: A SGI Altix 3700 compute system     Figure 4: Sample imagery of cross sections of a wood fiber shown on a 16 tile visualization wall.    Figure 5: Ice sheet computer model data superimposed on Google Earth and displayed on a 16 tile wall.    Figure 6: NSF REU students interacting with a visualization wall.   Figure 7: Graduate student interacting with a Matlab program on the 16 tile wall.    Figure 8: Teachers participating in an NSF ITEST project, demonstrating a 3x3 wall of laptops with imagery detailing the inside of a cell.   Figure 9: ITEST teachers interacting with a display showing temperature for Maine in July.    Figure 10: Updated monitors increase the size to 6 ft by 9 ft and resolution to 36 Mpixels.   Figure 11: Climate researchers interacting with a high resolution elevation map showing North America during the last ice age.  The body of water that became Lake Superior is visible in the upper right.  Researchers are observing that the moraines caused by the advance and retreat of the ice can be clearly seen.    Figure 12: Researchers interacting with a combined atmospheric, land, ocean, and ice model.  View is looking down on the North Pole.  The researcher is pointing the edges of the Greenland ice sheet.  

MRI: Acquisition of Interactive Visualization Tools for Supercomputer Models

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1282&amp;context=orsp_reports

MRI: Acquisition of Interactive Visualization Tools for Supercomputer Models

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Maine