Syllabus - 2016 Scientific Computing Bootcamp

Woodruff Scientific, Inc., 4000 Aurora Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103

SCBC1 – Grand Challenges in Computational Plasma Physics

1. Computation as third pillar of science
2. Multi-physics and multi-scales for nuclear fusion simulations
3. OFES HPC (initiatives, centers, SciDac)
4. Current research directions globally, nationally, and locally

Duration: 2 hours lecture

SCBC2a – Some Computer Science Considerations

1. Modeling & simulation, and why
2. Overall process of computational simulation
3. Some sources of approximation*
4. Algorithmic (in)stability
5. Accuracy versus precision

Duration: 1 hour lecture (* can be partially hands-on)

SCBC2b – Using UNIX

1. Introduction to the UNIX command line
2. Introduction to make

Duration: 4 hours interactive hands-on

SCBC3 – Introduction to R&D codes

1. Introduction of some codes we use and why
2. FORTRAN syntax
3. Compiling and debugging
4. Revision control and repositories

Duration: 3 hours lecture + hands-on

SCBC4 – High Performance Computing

1. Parallel computing, scalability
2. Schedulers, jobs, batching, queue handling
3. Hands-on: running an R&D code at NERSC, retrieving data

→ local facility tour (2016, 2015: Hyak@UW; 2014: Hutch)

Duration: 3 hours lecture + hands-on, without tour

SCBC5 – Post-Processing

1. VisIt introduction, tutorial, application to SCBC4 generated data
2. ParaView introduction, tutorial, application to SCBC4 generated data
3. Scripting with Octave

Duration: 4 hours lecture + hands-on

SCBC6 – Verification and Validation in Scientific Computing

1. Verification & validation
2. Predictive capabilities, restrictions
3. Synthetic diagnostics
4. Reproducibility of results

Duration: 3 hours

SCBC7 – Solving PDEs Numerically with Finite Elements

1. Partial differential equations background, as needed
2. Equation sets most regularly used in plasma physics
3. Spatial and temporal discretization
4. Common time advance methods
5. Demonstration of Fluxgrid, CUBIT*

Duration: 4 hours lecture (* can be hands-on)

SCBC8 – Contemporary Issues in Plasma Physics and Nuclear Fusion Anticipated but not be limited to:

1. Multi-fluid modeling (mixed neutral-plasma models)
2. Multi-physics (Fokker-Plank coupling to MHD)
3. Adaptive solvers
4. Flux-source expression of dominant equations

Duration: 3-4 hours (anticipated 6-8 presentations)

SCBC9 – Future of Scientific Computing

1. Exascale roadmap
2. Hardware/software, architecture/algorithms gap
3. Algorithmic considerations & foresight

Duration: 2 hours