MRI: Acquisition of a High Performance Computing System for Undergraduate Physics Research

0922362

Datta

Augusta State University

Technical Summary: Research and training opportunities in high performance computing are vital for next generation of undergraduate students. However, lack of computational resources at primarily undergraduate institutions limit the scope of research. Funding from this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program will support the acquisition of a 16 CPU compute cluster to be housed at the Physics Department of Augusta State University (ASU). The proposed research with this equipment falls into two categories: a) Hysteresis of frustrated magnetic systems with applications to multiferroic materials. Multiferroics have novel applications as solid state devices which are typically operated under an external bias ? an inherently non-equilibrium situation. By using well established statistical simulation techniques the physics of hysteresis and dynamic phase transition in frustrated magnetic lattices will be studied. The proposed investigations will further our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms in multiferroic materials subject to non-equilibrium conditions. b) Statistical seismology, which can be subdivided into stochastic parameter estimation, imaging in heterogeneous media, and signal detection in highly scattered wavefields. The proposed research will be able to verify that the currently developed 2-D seismic inversion techniques are valid for 3-D models. The requested instrumentation will also allow in quantifying the degree to which a heterogeneous crust can affect the reliability of images in P-to-S converted wave imaging. The instrumentation will expand on our ability to provide essential research training for undergraduate students. The cluster will help foster research collaborations with other departments at ASU.

Layman Summary: Research and training opportunities in high performance computing are vital for next generation of undergraduate students. However, lack of computational resources at primarily undergraduate institutions limit the scope of research. The Department of Physics at Augusta State University (ASU) proposes to expand on our existing facility for high performance computing to accommodate greater levels of undergraduate research and faculty research in statistical simulations of condensed matter systems, numerical modeling techniques in geophysics, and geophysical signal processing. The requested instrumentation will establish an advanced, modern computational facility and support innovative, high quality research by faculty and undergraduate students for many years to come. The compute cluster will support research on a) Hysteresis and dynamic phase transition in frustrated magnetic lattices with applications to multiferroic materials. The proposed investigations will further our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms in multiferroic materials subject to non-equilibrium conditions, and b) Seismic wave simulations in highly complex earth materials. These simulations will aid in the development of techniques in geophysical imaging, signal processing, and signal detection. The instrumentation will expand on our ability to provide essential research training for a diverse group of undergraduate students, most of whom go on to pursue physics graduate school programs, engineering graduate school programs, or join the growing petroleum industry and the alternate energy research workforce. The cluster will help foster research collaborations with other departments at ASU.