A Beowulf cluster of computers, with each node connected to a special-purpose computer for simulating gravitational interactions, will be expanded from 8 to 32 nodes. The final system will be the largest of its kind in the world and will be capable of simulating N-body systems with particle numbers up to approximately 50,000,000 at speeds of approximately 4 terraflops. Simulations will cover the dynamics of galactic nuclei, in particular the interactions of single and binary supermassive black holes with stars and compact objects. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in all aspects of the construction, use, and maintenance of the cluster through a users group at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the cluster will be made available to collaborators outside of the Rochester Institute of Technology through a collaborative consortium.
