This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This proposal seeks $70K funding to purchase upgraded computing equipment to upgrade the Geophysics and Tectonics group cluster computing facility - funded through SOEST and NSF in 2002. Current computing resources have supported 4 PIs, 13 students and 1 post-doc. However, the new hire PI along with increased computational needs warrants upgrade to a new 128 processor cluster, having 16 nodes each with two quad-core processors and 16 GB RAM. The proposed system integrates a high-speed inter-node communication system. While available to others, the PIs will be the principal users. The requested computing equipment will be incorporated into disciplines ranging from mantle flow modeling at regional and global scales, high-resolution seismic tomography, 3D seismic reflection processing, and integrating geodynamic models. Specific projects are outlined by the PIs and include mantle and lithosphere geodynamics using finite element analysis, plate tectonic motions associated with mantle convection, understanding lithospheric stresses, dynamic topography, constraining seismic anisotropy flow, understanding rheology at scales ranging from whole Earth down to cm scale (by studying grain-size evolution), convection and mantle melting impact on oceanic basalt geochemistry, understanding magnetism and faulting at mid-ocean ridges, understanding plume-ridge interactions and geodynamics, mid-ocean ridge seismic modeling, mantle-plate upwelling dynamics, and crustal accretion, seismic reflection imaging. The upgraded cluster system will directly support graduate students advised by the PIs. In addition, the cluster will be incorporated into a graduate class in computational science. Code developments, models and data will be shared through the NSF-funded CIG center. Data and outputs will be interfaced with NSF-funded programs like Margins, Ridge2000, CIG, Earthscope and CSEDI. Results will be published in peer-reviewed literature.
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