427643
A MIMD implementation of a parallel Euler solver for unstructured grids
A mesh-vertex finite volume scheme for solving the Euler equations on triangular unstructured meshes is implemented on a MIMD (multiple instruction/multiple data stream) parallel computer. Three partitioning strategies for distributing the work load onto the processors are discussed. Issues pertaining to the communication costs are also addressed. We find that the spectral bisection strategy yields the best performance. The performance of this unstructured computation on the Intel iPSC/860 compares very favorably with that on a one-processor CRAY Y-MP/1 and an earlier implementation on the Connection Machine.
35264400
Parallel Efficiency of the Lanczos Method for Eigenvalue Problems
LBNL-42828 Parallel Efficiency of the Lanczos Method for Eigenvalue Problems ^ Kesheng Wu+and Horst Simon* Abstract Two of the commonly used versions of the Lanczos method for eigenvalues problems are the shift-and-invert Lanczos method and the restarted Lanczos method. In this talk, we will address two questions, is the shift-and-invert Lanczos method a viable option on massively parallel machines and which one is more appropriate for a given eigenvalue problem? Introduction T h i s talk is o n how to compute eigenvalues a n d eigenvectors of large sparse s y m m e t r i c matrices o n massively parallel machines. One of the the most c o m m o n l y used algorithms for this task is the Lanczos m e t h o d w h i c h projects the large eigenvalue p r o b l e m onto a low dimensional K r y l o v subspace [7, 10]. I n most cases, the K r y l o v subspace basis is built t h r o u g h a series of matrix-vector m u l t i p l i c a t i o n s , the whole Lanczos m e t h o d c a n be implemented w i t h a matrix-vector m u l t i p l i c a t i o n routine a n d a few simple vector operations. T h i s a l g o r i t h m is highly efficient on parallel machines a n d it is effective for c o m p u t i n g extreme a n d well separated eigenvalues. To compute the interior or not well-separated eigenvalues, the shift-and-invert Lanczos m e t h o d is one of the most effective methods. Since the eigenvalues of a m a t r i x A are related to the eigenvalues of (A — c r l ) by a simple relation X(A) = a + 1/X((A — c r l ) ) a n d the corresponding eigenvectors of A a n d (A — c r l ) are identical, the shift-and-invert scheme computes the extreme eigenvalues of (A — c r l ) a n d deduce the corresponding eigenvalues of A. W i t h appropriate choice of a, the extreme eigenvalues of (A — al)^ are well separated and can be easily computed. T h e shift-and-invert Lanczos m e t h o d needs to b u i l d a K r y l o v subspace basis of (A — c r l ) w h i c h is done by solving a series of linear systems involving the coefficient m a t r i x (A — a I). T h e linear systems need to be solved accurately a n d the only reliable means to accomplish this is by using a direct m e t h o d [5]. Because it is difficult to implement direct methods o n d i s t r i b u t e d parallel computers, efficient parallel i m p l e m e n t a t i o n has not been widely available u n t i l recently [1, 8]. T h i s talk w i l l present our s t u d y of the parallel efficiency of the shift-and-invert Lanczos m e t h o d using these newly available direct solvers. T h e study w i l l show that the shift-and-invert Lanczos m e t h o d is ' T h i s w o r k was s u p p o r t e d b y t h e D i r e c t o r , Office o f E n e r g y R e s e a r c h , Office o f L a b o r a t o r y P o l i c y a n d Infrastructure M a n a g e m e n t , of the U . S . D e p a r t m e n t of E n e r g y under C o n t r a c t N o . D E - A C 0 3 - 7 6 S F 0 0 0 9 8 . T h i s r e s e a r c h u s e d r e s o u r c e s o f t h e N a t i o n a l E n e r g y R e s e a r c h S c i e n t i f i c C o m p u t i n g C e n t e r , w h i c h is s u p p o r t e d b y t h e Office o f E n e r g y R e s e a r c h o f t h e U . S . D e p a r t m e n t o f E n e r g y . 'Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/NERSC, Berkeley, CA Email: {ksni, hdsimon}81bl.gov.
38908855
Large-Scale SVD and Subspace-Based Methods for Information Retrieval
A theoretical foundation for latent semantic indexing (LSI) is proposed by adapting a model first used in array signal processing to the context of information retrieval using the concept of subspaces. It is shown that this subspace-based model coupled with minimal description length (MDL) principle leads to a statistical test to determine the dimensions of the latent-concept subspaces in LSI. The effect of weighting on the choice of the optimal dimensions of latent-concept subspaces is illustrated. It is also shown that the model imposes a so-called low-rank-plus-shift structure that is approximately satisfied by the cross-product of the term-document matrices. This structure can be exploited to give a more accurate updating scheme for LSI and to correct some of the misconception about the achievable retrieval accuracy in LSI updating. Variants of Lanczos algorithms are illustrated with numerical test results on Cray T3E using document collections generated from World Wide Web.
46294089
1992 Gordon Bell Prize Winners
9150119
Thick-Restart Lanczos Method for Symmetric Eigenvalue Problems
This paper describes a restarted Lanczos algorithm that particularly suitable for implementation on distributed machines. The only communication operation is requires outside of the matrix-vector multiplication is a global sum. For most large eigenvalue problems, the global sum operation takes a small fraction of the total execution time. The majority of the computer is spent in the matrix-vector multiplication. Efficient parallel matrix-vector multiplication routines can be found in many parallel sparse matrix packages such as AZTEC [9], BLOCK-SOLVE [10], PETSc [3], P_SPARSLIB. For this reason, our main emphasis in this paper is to demonstrate the correctness and the effectiveness of the new algorithm.
36271721
Industrial Application Areas of High-Performance Computing
In 1993, a list of the top 500 supercomputer sites worldwide was made available for the first time. Since then, the Top500 list has been published twice a year. The list allows a detailed and well-founded analysis of the state of high-performance computing (HPC). This article summarizes the recent trends in application areas of HPC systems, focusing on the increase in industrial installations and applications.
11287797
Collaborative Discovery in a Scientific Domain
This study compares Pairs of subjects with Single subjects in a task of discovering scientific laws with the aid of experiments. Subjects solved a molecular genetics task in a computer micro-world (Dunbar, 1993). Pairs were more successful in discovery than Singles and participated more actively in explanatory activities (i.e., entertaining hypotheses and considering alternative ideas and justifications). Explanatory activities were effective for discovery only when the subjects also conducted crucial experiments. Explanatory activities were facilitated when paired subjects made requests of each other for explanation and focused on them. The study extends from individual to collaborative discovery activities the importance to the discovery process of setting goals to find hypotheses and evidence (Dunbar, 1993) and to construct explanations of phenomena and processes encountered in examples (Chi, Bassok, Lewis, & Glaser, 1989). Discovery through collaboration is a common and growing practice in science whose processes have not yet been extensively studied. We do not yet know whether discovery processes are different when people work together, what role discussion plays in collaboration, how researchers entertain hypotheses and conduct experiments when working together or how they handle alternative hypotheses and justifications that arise in discussion. These questions may be approached through historical case studies, field observation, interviews with researchers involved in collaboration, and laboratory experiments. Each approach has its advantages and limitations. This paper follows an experimental approach. We are aware that, although experiments are highly useful for detailed analyses of discovery processes, we need to be cautious in interpreting these data as reflecting actual scientists’ collaborative discovery processes. Over the long run, combining various approaches
5581562
Computer science as empirical inquiry: symbols and search
Computer science is the study of the phenomena surrounding computers. The founders of this society understood this very well when they called themselves the Association for Computing Machinery. The machine—not just the hardware, but the programmed, living machine—is the organism we study.
1182152
Stability of k -Means Clustering
We consider the stability of k-means clustering problems. Clustering stability is a common heuristics used to determine the number of clusters in a wide variety of clustering applications. We continue the theoretical analysis of clustering stability by establishing a complete characterization of clustering stability in terms of the number of optimal solutions to the clustering optimization problem. Our results complement earlier work of Ben-David, von Luxburg and Pal, by settling the main problem left open there. Our analysis shows that, for probability distributions with finite support, the stability of k-means clusterings depends solely on the number of optimal solutions to the underlying optimization problem for the data distribution. These results challenge the common belief and practice that view stability as an indicator of the validity, or meaningfulness, of the choice of a clustering algorithm and number of clusters.
31930258
How Many Missing Answers Can Be Tolerated by Query Learners?
We consider the model of exact learning using an equivalence oracle and an incomplete membership oracle. In this model, a random subset of the learners membership queries is left unanswered. Our results are as follows. First, we analyze the obvious method for coping with missing answers: search exhaustively through all possible "answer patterns" associated with the unanswered queries. Thereafter, we present two specific concept classes that are efficiently learnable using an equivalence oracle and a (completely reliable) membership oracle, but are provably not polynomially learnable if the membership oracle becomes slightly incomplete. The first class will demonstrate that the aforementioned method of exhaustively searching through all possible answer patterns cannot be substantially improved in general (despite its apparent simplicity). The second class will demonstrate that the incomplete membership oracle can be rendered useless even if it leaves only a fraction 1/poly(n) of all queries unanswered. Finally, we present a learning algorithm for monotone DNF formulas that can cope with a relatively large fraction of missing answers (more than sixty percent), but is as efficient (in terms of run-time and number of queries) as the classical algorithm whose questions are always answered reliably.
9115069
Causality in Device Behavior
Abstract This paper shows how formal characterizations of causality and of the method of comparative statics, long used in econometrics, thermodynamics and other domains, can be applied to clarify and make rigorous the qualitative causal calculus recently proposed by de Kleer and Brown [2]. The formalization shows exactly what assumptions are required to carry out causal analysis of a system of interdependent variables in equilibrium and to propagate disturbances through such a system. The intuitive concepts of causality captured by de Kleer and Brown provide a rough approximation to the standard analytic techniques that are used in the treatment of simultaneous algebraic and differential equations.