Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
University of Saskatchewan
$77,965.00
Equipment for large scale computations
FY 2006-07
Summary
The torrid rise in computing and networking power is causing a dramatic shift in science. Increasingly, science relies on modelling and simulation to generate data and analyze complex systems "in silico." Accordingly it has become widely accepted that scientific discovery is now founded on theory, experiment, and simulation. This shift has precipitated two mutually reinforcing phenomena. First, data sets of unprecedented size are being generated at staggering rates. Second, in a seemingly never-ending quest for higher fidelity, the complexity of the models used is increasing like never before. These phenomena demand computer hardware and algorithms that are powerful enough to handle copious amounts of data in reasonable amounts of time. The focus of this research proposal is twofold. First, we wish to investigate new algorithms for updating the partial singular value decomposition (PSVD) of large, sparse matrices. The PSVD is the computational method behind latent semantic indexing, a method of information retrieval. Updating allows the computation of the PSVD incrementally as terms or documents are added, instead of re-computing it from scratch. Second, we wish to study innovative time integration schemes for complex partial differential equations describing applications such as the flow of electrical activity in myocardial tissue and multiphase fluid flows. This research involves data sets that are so large that we cannot perform studies without a large computer system. This research is important because it incorporates leading-edge ideas for simulation of some important and challenging problems, affecting researchers in computer science, mathematics, physiology and engineering. The request of this proposal is for a large computer system and software to enable the research described above. This research cannot be done otherwise, e.g., with existing in-house or national computing facilities. We anticipate the outcomes of this research to be the development of new algorithms and software that can be used by domain-specific researchers. Canada will benefit from the presence on international research stage as well as the state-of-the-art training provided to the graduate students involved.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
344747-2007
Name nom
Spiteri, Raymond
Department département
Computer Science
Organization id
16
Institution établissement
University of Saskatchewan
Province en
Saskatchewan
Province fr
Saskatchewan
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2006
Competition year année de concours
2007
Award amount
77965
Program id
EQPEQ
Program name en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
331
Committee name en
Computing and Information Sciences - B
Committee name fr
Informatique - B
Area of application code
801
Area of application group en
Information and communication services
Area of application group fr
Services d'information et de télécommunications
Area of application en
Computer software
Area of application fr
Logiciel
Research subject code
2955
Research subject group en
Applied mathematics
Research subject group fr
Mathématiques appliquées
Research subject en
Numerical analysis
Research subject fr
Analyse numérique
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Equipment for large scale computations
Keyword
NA
Application summary
The torrid rise in computing and networking power is causing a dramatic shift in science. Increasingly, science relies on modelling and simulation to generate data and analyze complex systems "in silico." Accordingly it has become widely accepted that scientific discovery is now founded on theory, experiment, and simulation. This shift has precipitated two mutually reinforcing phenomena. First, data sets of unprecedented size are being generated at staggering rates. Second, in a seemingly never-ending quest for higher fidelity, the complexity of the models used is increasing like never before. These phenomena demand computer hardware and algorithms that are powerful enough to handle copious amounts of data in reasonable amounts of time. The focus of this research proposal is twofold. First, we wish to investigate new algorithms for updating the partial singular value decomposition (PSVD) of large, sparse matrices. The PSVD is the computational method behind latent semantic indexing, a method of information retrieval. Updating allows the computation of the PSVD incrementally as terms or documents are added, instead of re-computing it from scratch. Second, we wish to study innovative time integration schemes for complex partial differential equations describing applications such as the flow of electrical activity in myocardial tissue and multiphase fluid flows. This research involves data sets that are so large that we cannot perform studies without a large computer system. This research is important because it incorporates leading-edge ideas for simulation of some important and challenging problems, affecting researchers in computer science, mathematics, physiology and engineering. The request of this proposal is for a large computer system and software to enable the research described above. This research cannot be done otherwise, e.g., with existing in-house or national computing facilities. We anticipate the outcomes of this research to be the development of new algorithms and software that can be used by domain-specific researchers. Canada will benefit from the presence on international research stage as well as the state-of-the-art training provided to the graduate students involved.
