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Proof of concept of regional scale hydrologic simulations at hydrologic resolution utilizing massively parallel computer resources
Author(s) -
Kollet Stefan J.,
Maxwell Reed M.,
Woodward Carol S.,
Smith Steve,
Vanderborght Jan,
Vereecken Harry,
Simmer Clemens
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2009wr008730
Subject(s) - massively parallel , scaling , grid , computation , parallel computing , computer science , scale (ratio) , computational science , hydrological modelling , supercomputer , grid cell , resolution (logic) , hydrology (agriculture) , algorithm , mathematics , geology , geometry , physics , geotechnical engineering , quantum mechanics , climatology , artificial intelligence
We present the results of a unique, parallel scaling study using a 3‐D variably saturated flow problem including land surface processes that ranges from a single processor to a maximum number of 16,384 processors. In the applied finite difference framework and for a fixed problem size per processor, this results in a maximum number of approximately 8 × 10 9 grid cells (unknowns). Detailed timing information shows that the applied simulation platform ParFlow exhibits excellent parallel efficiency. This study demonstrates that regional scale hydrologic simulations on the order of 10 3 km 2 are feasible at hydrologic resolution (∼10 0 –10 1 m laterally, 10 −2 –10 −1 m vertically) with reasonable computation times, which has been previously assumed to be an intractable computational problem.