Researchers from theInstitute for
Computational Cosmology(ICC) at Durham
University have been using a supercomputer built by Sun to find out
why the universe is expanding.
The supercomputer consists of 1,300 processors, making it one of
the largest supercomputers in Europe dedicated to academic research
in one field. Called the
Cosmology
Machine (Cosma), it is built up of a combination of UltraSPARC
IIIi and AMD Opteron nodes. The machine also uses Sun's Solaris OS,
compilers and internode communications software.
The simulations are being used by an international team, which
is competing to carry out a new space mission under the
European
Space Agency's "Cosmic Vision" programme.
As part of Virgo Consortium, an international group of
cosmologists who simulate the growth of cosmic structures, the
group at Durham has used the local supercomputer to simulate more
of the universe than has ever been attempted before.