SEISM2 Project
NSF Award ACI - 1450451: SI2-SSI: Community Software for Extreme-Scale Computing in Earthquake System Science, PI: Thomas H. Jordan
Abstract
Earthquake simulations at the spatiotemporal scales required for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis present some of the toughest computational challenges in geoscience, requiring extreme-scale computing. The Southern California Earthquake Center is creating a Software Environment for Integrated Seismic Modeling (SEISM) that will provide the extreme-scale simulation capability needed to transform probabilistic seismic hazard analysis into a physics-based science. This project will advance SEISM through a user-driven research and development agenda that will push validated SEISM capabilities to higher seismic frequencies and towards extreme-scale computing. It will develop an integrated, sustainable community software framework for earthquake system science to serve diverse communities of earthquake scientists and engineers, computer scientists and at-risk stakeholders. A new SEISM-T framework will support both in-situ and post-hoc data processing to make efficient use of available heterogeneous architectures. Our main goal is to increase the 4D outer-scale/inner-scale ratio of simulations at constant time-to-solution by two orders of magnitude above current capabilities. Our software development plan will use an agile process of test-driven development, continuous software integration, automated acceptance test suites for each application, frequent software releases, and attention to user feedback. We will take advantage of the SCEC Implementation Interface to develop a dialog among user communities regarding the application of SEISM to the reduction of seismic risk and enhancement of seismic resilience. This research will address fundamental scientific problems that limit the accuracy and scale range in current numerical representations of earthquake processes, which will benefit earthquake system science worldwide. This project will educate a diverse STEM workforce from the undergraduate to early-career level, and it will cross-train scientists and engineers in a challenging high-performance environment. As one application of SEISM, we will develop new simulations for the Great California ShakeOut, which is engaging millions of people in earthquake preparedness exercises.
