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Title: Parallel processing a large scientific problem

Conference ·

A parallel-processing experiment is discussed that uses a particle-in-cell (PIC) code to study the feasibility of doing large-scale scientific calculations on multiple-processor architectures. A multithread version of this Los Alamos PIC code was successfully implemented and timed on a UNIVAC System 1100/80 computer. Use of a single copy of the instruction stream, and common memory to hold data, eliminated data transmission between processors. The multiple-processing algorithm exploits the PIC code's high degree of large, independent tasks, as well as the configuration of the UNIVAC System 1100/80. Timing results for the multithread version of the PIC code using one, two, three, and four identical processors are given and are shown to have promising speedup times when compared to the overall run times measured for a single-thread version of the PIC code.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5277682
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-82-456; CONF-820606-2; ON: DE82008174
Resource Relation:
Conference: National computer conference, Houston, TX, USA, 7 Jun 1982; Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English