HPC unearths glacial flow
Robert Roe looks at research from the University of Alaska that is using HPC to change the
way we look at the movement of ice sheets T
oday’s scientists are much more informed about the potential for climate change and melting of glacial ice.
However, while some effects of climate
change are well understood, the flow and changes of glacial ice have traditionally been observed and measured, and researchers lacked the computational resources to model these effects. University of Alaska researchers at the
university’s Geophysical Institute have now created computational models that can accurately predict the movement of glacial ice flow using HPC. Andy Aschwanden, research assistant
professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), is studying the ice flow of the Greenland ice sheet. Aschwanden and his colleagues are hoping that this research will help predict the future evolution of the Greenland ice sheet. Te Geophysical Institute consists of
seven major research units and supporting facilities, including space physics and aeronomy; atmospheric sciences; snow, ice, and permafrost; seismology; volcanology; remote sensing; and tectonics and sedimentation. Over the past two decades, professor
Aschwanden stressed that large changes in flow have been observed in outlet glaciers and that the rate of melting ice has increased. Tis has been calculated at a 17 per cent increase in ice-sheet wide melt between 2000 and 2005. While researchers are reasonably confident about the rate of ice melting,
4 SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING WORLD
more research was needed to predict future changes and their potential impact on glacial ice.
Complex challenges demand HPC UAF researchers have been developing the open-source Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) since 2006. Te PISM model was created to enable researchers to model glacial ice flows accurately. But, due to the complex nature of the simulations, the models can be incredibly computationally intensive. Ice sheets, which are essentially continent-
size glaciers, are constantly moving. Just like other fluids, glaciers flow downhill – driven by gravity. PISM simulates the movement of the ice fluid, and its temperature, just as a weather forecasting model can predict atmospheric conditions. Ice sheets contain a large amount of frozen
water which is currently above sea level. Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica for example, are more than two miles thick and
THIS COMMUNITY, CONDO MODEL
PROJECT LAUNCHES A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN HOW HIGH- PERFORMANCE
COMPUTING RESOURCES ARE OFFERED TO THE UA COMMUNITY’
sitting on land. If ice sheets flow faster or slower, or the way they flow changes, then this affects the rate at which they can raise sea level, so it is important to understand if climate change is impacting the rate of ice flow. Te simulations needed to track the
massive ice sheet’s progress require large resolutions and must process huge amounts of data. Tis means that access to more powerful computers and faster networking solutions can not only reduce the time to derive scientific insight but also increase the resolution of the model creating a more accurate prediction of glacial ice flow. Te research paper covering this project –
which was published in the journal, Nature, noted that this project was made possible by the combination of several factors. Te
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