Mantle Dynamics Computing

	Applications Large-scale numerical models of deformation and fluid dynamics requiring very high resolution (1-10 km), in large model domains (regional to global models) and long simulation times (50 to 250 million years). Current projects from Billen's group include: -- Subduction zone dynamics -- Mantle convection -- Continental margin dynamics
	Specifications Nodes: 32 dual processor nodes. Processors: 64-bit opteron cpus. RAM: 128 Gigabytes. Disk Space: Over 2.0 Terabytes.
	Users The cluster is available for use by faculty and students within the Department of Geology. It is also available to members of the Community Beowulf Cluster Cooperative maintained by the Computational Science and Engineering Center.
Beowulf? The term Beowulf was originally used to refer to computer clusters made my connecting multiple personal computers (PCs) to run as a single super-computer. Unlike the high-end, made to order, super-computers, Beowulf's are much less expensive to build and maintain. Like the ancient story of Beowulf, these PC-clusters represent the underdog fighting the giants of traditional super-computers. More recently, Beowulf clusters are built to order with multiple compute nodes mounted together in a large rack, rather than stacking hundreds of full-sized PC boxes, saving lots of space as well as money.	Its traditional to name Beowulf clusters after gods - Greek, Roman, Norwegian. In that tradition, this cluster has been named after the Native American (Iroquois, Northwest, Tsimishian tribes) god Amala. In Native American mythology Amala is similar to the Greek god Atlas, holding the world by its axis as it spins in his hands.