Dr. Volker Springel
Researchers at the Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics in Germany are using powerful European supercomputers to simulate the universe from its birth to present day.
To map the entire known Universe, including the “web” of spiral and disc-galaxies, Prof. Volker Springel used new finite-volume hydrodynamics code called AREPO, which he wrote himself. To call the job computationally intensive would be an understatement, so Prof. Volker Springel has been using a PRACE allocation of 20 million core hours on the 2 Petaflop CURIE supercomputer in France.
Like the combined power of supernovae and black holes created new galaxies and stars, the combined power of PRACE Tier-0 HPC systems and excellence science creates great advancements for humanity,” said Catherine Rivière, Chair of the PRACE Council. “This is the biggest cosmology simulation ever made and it shows that PRACE is at the heart of HPC supported science and research,” she added proudly.
The results of Prof. Volker’s research were published in the most recent edition of Nature.
