From schnetter@cct.lsu.edu Tue Oct 25 16:00:57 2011
From: schnetter@cct.lsu.edu
To: commits@lists.einsteintoolkit.org
Subject: [Commits] [svn:einsteintoolkit] www/about/releases/ (Rev. 742)
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:00:57 +0000
Message-ID: <20111025210057.99A1D2C4A39@mail.einsteintoolkit.org>
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User: eschnett
Date: 2011/10/25 04:00 PM

Modified:
 /about/releases/
  ET_2011_10_announcement.php

Log:
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File Changes:

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+++ about/releases/ET_2011_10_announcement.php	2011-10-25 21:00:57 UTC (rev 7=
42)
@@ -1,19 +1,58 @@
 <?php $title=3D'Release Announcement';
 include_once($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/global/header.php');?>
=20
-<p>We are pleased to announce the fourth release (code name "<a href=3D"http=
://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clerk_Maxwell">Maxwell</a>") of the Einstein T=
oolkit, an open, community developed software infrastructure for relativistic=
 astrophysics. This release includes substantial changes to the underlying AM=
R infrastructure Carpet and the simfactory tool. GRHydro is now officially re=
leased with support for magnetohydrodynamics. In addition, bug fixes accumula=
ted since the previous release in April 2011 have been included.</p>
+<p>We are pleased to announce the fourth release (code name
+"<a href=3D"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clerk_Maxwell">Maxwell</a>")
+of the Einstein Toolkit, an open, community developed software
+infrastructure for relativistic astrophysics. This release includes
+substantial changes to the underlying AMR infrastructure Carpet and
+the Simfactory tool. GRHydro now officially supports
+magnetohydrodynamics. In addition, many errors have been corrected
+since the previous release in April 2011.</p>
=20
-<p>The Einstein Toolkit is a collection of software components and tools for=
 simulating and analyzing general relativistic astrophysical systems that bui=
lds on numerous software efforts in the numerical relativity community includ=
ing CactusEinstein, the Carpet AMR infrastructure and the relativistic hydrod=
ynamics code GRHydro (an updated and extended version of the public release o=
f the Whisky code). The Cactus Framework is used as the underlying computatio=
nal infrastructure providing large-scale parallelization, general computation=
al components, and a model for collaborative, portable code development. The =
toolkit includes modules to build complete codes for simulating black hole sp=
acetimes as well as systems governed by relativistic hydrodynamics.</p>
+<p>The Einstein Toolkit is a collection of software components and
+tools for simulating and analyzing general relativistic astrophysical
+systems. It builds on numerous software efforts in the numerical
+relativity community including CactusEinstein, the Carpet AMR
+infrastructure, and the relativistic hydrodynamics code GRHydro. The
+Cactus Framework is used as the underlying computational
+infrastructure providing large-scale parallelization, general
+computational components, and a model for collaborative, portable code
+development. The toolkit includes modules to build complete codes for
+simulating black hole spacetimes as well as systems governed by
+relativistic hydrodynamics.</p>
=20
-<p>The Einstein Toolkit uses a distributed software model and its different =
modules are developed, distributed, and supported either by the core team of =
Einstein Toolkit Maintainers, or by individual groups. Where modules are prov=
ided by external groups, the Einstein Toolkit Maintainers provide quality con=
trol for modules for inclusion in the toolkit and help coordinate support. Th=
e Einstein Toolkit Maintainers currently involve postdocs and faculty from fi=
ve different institutions, and host weekly meetings that are open for anyone =
to join in.</p>
+<p>The Einstein Toolkit uses a distributed software model, and its
+different modules are developed, distributed, and supported either by
+the core team of Einstein Toolkit Maintainers, or by individual
+research groups. Where modules are provided by external groups, the
+Einstein Toolkit Maintainers provide quality control for modules for
+inclusion in the toolkit and help coordinate support. The Einstein
+Toolkit Maintainers currently involve postdocs and faculty from five
+different institutions, and host weekly meetings that are open for
+anyone to join.</p>
=20
-<p>Guiding principles for the design and implementation of the toolkit inclu=
de: open, community-driven software development; well thought out and stable =
interfaces; separation of physics software from computational science infrast=
ructure; provision of complete working production code; training and educatio=
n for a new generation of researchers.</p>
+<p>Guiding principles for the design and implementation of the toolkit
+include: open, community-driven software development; well thought-out
+and stable interfaces; separation of physics software from
+computational science infrastructure; provision of a complete working
+production code; and training and education for a new generation of
+researchers.</p>
=20
-<p>For more information about using or contributing to the Einstein Toolkit,=
 or to join the Einstein Toolkit Consortium, please visit our web pages at &l=
t;<a href=3D"http://einsteintoolkit.org">http://einsteintoolkit.org</a>&gt;.<=
/p>
+<p>For more information about using or contributing to the Einstein
+Toolkit, or to join the Einstein Toolkit Consortium, please visit our
+web pages at
+&lt;<a href=3D"http://einsteintoolkit.org">http://einsteintoolkit.org</a>&gt=
;.</p>
=20
-<p>The Einstein Toolkit is primarily supported by NSF 0903973/0903782/090401=
5 (CIGR), and also by NSF 0701566/0855892 (XiRel), 0721915 (Alpaca), 0905046/=
0941653 (PetaCactus) and 0710874 (LONI Grid).</p>
+<p>The Einstein Toolkit is primarily supported by NSF
+0903973/0903782/0904015 (CIGR), and also by NSF 0701566/0855892
+(XiRel), 0721915 (Alpaca), 0905046/0941653 (PetaCactus), and 0710874
+(LONI).</p>
=20
-<p>The Einstein Toolkit thorns contain over 130 regression test cases. On a =
large portion of the tested machines, all of these testsuites <a href=3D"http=
://einsteintoolkit.org/release-info/parse_testsuite_results.php">pass</a>, us=
ing both MPI and OpenMP.</p>
+<p>The Einstein Toolkit thorns contain over 130 regression test cases.
+On a large portion of the tested machines, all of these
+testsuites <a href=3D"http://einsteintoolkit.org/release-info/parse_testsuit=
e_results.php">pass</a>,
+using both MPI and OpenMP parallelisation.</p>
=20
 <p>The changes between this and the previous release include:</p>
 <ul>
@@ -22,65 +61,71 @@
   <ul>
    <li> Significant internal development
    <li> Grid structure is handled in a more efficient manner, leading to imp=
roved parallel scalability
-   <li> Grid structure output now supports multipatch
+   <li> Grid structure output supports multipatch
    <li> Improvements to OpenMP parallelism in Carpet
    <li> Support for cell-centering
-   <li> Timers are now hierarchical - use parameter output_timer_tree_every =
to output the timer tree to standard output.  This makes it much easier to se=
e where the time is spent in a simulation
-   <li> A backtrace file is now written to the output directory when the sim=
ulation code crashes.  Note that you probably need to add the -rdynamic optio=
n to CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS for the backtrace symbols to be interpreted correctl=
y.
+   <li> Timers are hierarchical, which makes it much easier to see where the=
 time is spent in a simulation.  (Use the parameter output_timer_tree_every t=
o output the timer tree to standard output.)
+   <li> A backtrace file is written to the output directory when the simulat=
ion code crashes. (Note that you probably need to add the -rdynamic option to=
 CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS for the backtrace symbols to be interpreted correctly.)
   </ul>
- <li> CarpetIOHDF5: There are now parameters which select whether symmetry, =
boundary and buffer points are output for sliced output. =20
- <li> CarpetRegrid2: Now supports "true" AMR based on a regridding criterion
+ <li> CarpetIOHDF5: There are now parameters to select whether
+ symmetry, boundary, or buffer points should be output. =20
+ <li> CarpetRegrid2: Supports full AMR based on a regridding criterion
  <li> SimFactory
   <ul>
-   <li> Completely new rewrite, new repository.
-   <li> Machine database and optionlists updated due to system changes on HP=
C resources
-   <li> Can now run the Cactus test suites as part of a job in a queuing sys=
tem
-   <li> TODO: List of new machines supported by SimFactory?
-   <li> Optionlists now enable instruction vectorisation by default - this a=
ffects those thorns that explicitly use this vectorisation, including McLachl=
an and Carpet
-   <li> Now supports parameter file scripts <name>.rpar - these should be sc=
ripts which write a parameter file to <name>.par.  This is useful for perform=
ing simple calculations on parameters in python or perl
-   <li> Now uses the Intel compiler by default on Kraken and Hopper
+   <li> Internally completely rewritten
+   <li> Machine database and optionlists updated
+   <li> Can run the Cactus test suites as part of a job in a queuing system
+   <!-- <li> TODO: List of new machines supported by SimFactory? -->
+   <li> Optionlists enable instruction vectorization by default,
+   which can significantly improve performance. (This affects those thorns t=
hat explicitly use vectorisation, including McLachlan and Carpet.)
+   <li> Supports parameter file scripts <name>.rpar, written e.g.
+   in Perl or Python.
+   <li> Uses the Intel compiler by default on Kraken and Hopper
   </ul>
  <li> Cactus
   <ul>
    <li> CUDA support added for GPU computing
-   <li> Parameters can now be used in STORAGE specifications in schedule.ccl=
 files
-   <li> Multi-line parameter values can now contain comments - this makes it=
 easier to comment out entries
-   <li> Mac OS 10.7 (Lion) is now supported
-   <li> CCTK_GFINDEX3D now checks index against array bounds when CCTK_DEBUG=
 is defined
-   <li> Standard output of Cactus build process is now much more compact
+   <li> Parameters can be used in STORAGE specifications in schedule.ccl fil=
es
+   <li> Multi-line parameter values can contain comments - this makes it eas=
ier to comment out entries
+   <li> Mac OS 10.7 (Lion) is supported
+   <li> CCTK_GFINDEX3D checks index against array bounds in debug configurat=
ions
+   <li> Standard output of Cactus build process is much more compact
   </ul>
  <li> McLachlan
   <ul>
-   <li> Performance improvements
+   <li> Various performance improvements
    <li> BSSN has instruction vectorisation enabled by default for improved s=
peed
   </ul>
  <li> GRHydro
   <ul>
-   <li> Support for MHD was added, but is by default disabled.
+   <li> Supports GR-MHD
   </ul>
- <li> WeylScal4: OpenMP support enabled in WeylScal4
- <li> TimerReport: "top timers" now given as min/max/mean across all process=
es instead of just from the root process
+ <li> WeylScal4: parallelised via OpenMP
+ <li> TimerReport: "top timers" given as min/max/mean across all processes (=
instead of just from the root process)
  <li> ADMBase
   <ul>
-   <li> Variables now have flat boundary condition applied
-   <li> Default value of ADMBase::initial_shift is now zero rather than none
+   <li> ADM variables have flat boundary condition applied
+   <li> Shift vector has storage by default
   </ul>
- <li> TwoPunctures: Now outputs a BBH metadata file, as used by NINJA / NRAR=
 projects
- <li> Vectors: New thorn which supports instruction vectorization to improve=
 performance of codes that use it
- <li> Cauchy Characteristic Extraction and the PITT Null Code are now includ=
ed.
+ <li> TwoPunctures: Outputs a BBH metadata file, as used by NINJA / NRAR pro=
jects
+ <li> Vectors: New thorn for vectorizing code, can significantly
+ improve performance of codes that use it
+ <li> Cauchy Characteristic Extraction and the PITT Null Code are included.
   <ul>
    <li> The Pitt code implements a robust fully nonlinear characteristic evo=
lution scheme for the Einstein equations for asymptotically flat spacetimes.
    <li> Included in the code is the gauge invariant calculation of the Bondi=
 News function at future null infinity.
-   <li> Include in the code are thorns that implement Cauchy Characteristic =
extraction, where Cauchy evolutions (McLachlan) provide  boundary data for a =
characteristic evolution. This allows for the unambiguous calculation of the =
gravitational waveform from merging BBH spacetimes.
+   <li> Included in the code are thorns that implement Cauchy Characteristic=
 extraction, where Cauchy evolutions (McLachlan) provide  boundary data for a=
 characteristic evolution. This allows for the unambiguous calculation of the=
 gravitational waveform from merging BBH spacetimes.
   </ul>
  <li> FFTW3 library has been added to the ET
  <li> Kranc
   <ul>
-   <li> thorns can now be generated including a Jacobian transformation of a=
ll derivatives - this means they can be used with multi-patch
-   <li> improvements to instruction vectorization=20
-   <li> can now perform finite differences using either function calls or ma=
cros; control using VECTORISE_INLINE =3D yes/no in optionlist; using function=
s can make the code fit in the instruction cache where it didn't before, resu=
lting in large speed increases, using macros can cause compilers to run out o=
f memory for complicated codes
-   <li> Generated thorns now check that there are sufficient ghost and bound=
ary points for the finite differencing stencil used
-   <li> error detection has been improved
+   <li>Thorns can be generated including a Jacobian transformation of
+   all derivatives - this means they can be used with multi-patch grids
+   <li> Improvements to instruction vectorization=20
+   <li> Reduced instruction cache usage, selected via VECTORISE_INLINE
+   =3D yes/no in the optionlist. This can result in large speed increases.
+   <li> Generated thorns check that there are sufficient ghost and boundary =
points for the finite differencing stencils
+   <li> Improved error detection
   </ul>
 </ul>
 </p>


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