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Simulating hypervelocity impact events using
hydrocodes requires extremely powerful supercomputers and highly specialized
software. The HITF has assembled a powerful computing facility to solve
the most complex impact problems:
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Onyx2 InfiniteReality Rack
In order to run the new generation of
hydrocodes that simulate hypervelocity impact events in 3D, the HITF has an
Onyx2 InifiniteReality rack system developed by
Silicon Graphics. The Onyx2
has the computing power of a supercomputer, which is needed to create these
computationally and graphically intense simulations.
The HITF Onyx2 system includes 8 (eight) MIPS
R10000 processors, each with a 1 MB cache. It also has 4 GB of memory, 72 GB of hard
disk space, a single graphics pipeline with an InfiniteReality Raster
Manager, and a super-wide, ultra-high-resolution 1920x1200 monitor. Wow!
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Octane workstations
The HITF also has two Silicon Graphics
Octane SSI
workstations for hydrocode development, analysis, and
visualization. Each machine has 1 GB of RAM and dual R10000 processors to
handle development, computations, and visualization tasks, pertinent to
the hydrocode research.
Stereoscopic CrystalEyes goggles
In order to view simulated hydrocode impact
events in 3-D, the HITF uses stereoscopic goggles. The goggles have LCD
shutters which are activated by a transmitter on top of the monitor. The
visualization software interfaces with the transmitter and synchs the goggle's left and right shutters to
the phased split image displayed on the monitor. The result is a truly
insightful 3-D perspective of a 3-D hypervelocity impact event.
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The HITF right now is focussing its research effort on one hydrocode
called EXOS, developed at the University of Texas, in Austin. There are
many other codes available, such as CTH,
developed by Sandia National Labs.
In order to visualize and understand the
vast amount of data produced by the hydrocodes, the HITF uses two
visualization software packages:
AVS Express (http://www.avs.com)
CEI Ensight (http://www.ceintl.com)
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