| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C013212/1 |
| Title: |
Enhancement to computer cluster for the calculation of atomic data of importance in plasma physics |
| Principal Investigator: |
Keenan, Professor FP |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Sch of Mathematics and Physics |
| Organisation: |
Queen's University of Belfast |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 April 2005 |
Ends: |
31 March 2007 |
Value (£): |
19,881
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Plasmas - Laser & Fusion |
Scattering & Spectroscopy |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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We are part of a team, also involving scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, which is using a microcalorimeter on the Electron Beam Ion Trap at NIST to undertake a range of fundamental studies related to highly charged ions. These include (i) X-ray spectroscopy of single-valence, multi-electron configurations to test many-body relativistic atomic structure calculations, (ii) measurements of absolute electron impact excitation cross sections, (iii) studies of ion-surface interactions. Our responsibility to the project is the calculation of atomic data for comparison with the experimental results, for which we have obtained PDRA support from EPSRC. Similarly, we are part of a major consortium, involving physicists at the Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories, which is running experiments on the Z Machine at Sandia with the aim of benchmarking, for the first time, plasma modelling codes, including NIMP and GALAXY, which are used extensively in the UK to model the X-ray spectra of plasmas. We have PDRA support from EPSRC to undertake an extensive programme of atomic physics calculations for Fe XVII through Fe XXVI, required as input to the modelling codes to allow a reliable comparison with the Z Machine X-ray spectra. Until very recently, our atomic physics calculations were undertaken on a 6-processor Compaq machine (purchased via a JREI award in 2000 for 160K), supplemented by a small cluster of 10 Personal Computers (PCs) bought with our existing EPSRC funding. However the Compaq has now expired, so that the computational load on the PC cluster is very high, seriously affecting the productivity of our atomic physics research programmes. We therefore urgently seek modest (~ 20K) funding to enhance the cluster by the addition of 18 PCs, which will triple its computational power.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.qub.ac.uk |