On a co-investment basis, the high-performance computing company will supply hardware and software to be used by research teams involved in projects under the auspices of Cal-(IT)2 (pronounced cal-eye-tee-squared). SGI has already installed an SGI™ Onyx® 3400 visualization system for Cal-(IT)2 use at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a graduate school and research center at UCSD, representing a co-investment of $210,000.
“SGI supports the widest possible variety of software applications for visualization and multiprocessor computing in the Earth sciences, and the new machine allows us to undertake advanced visualization projects now,” said Larry Smarr, Cal-(IT)2 director and professor of computer science and engineering at UCSD’s Irwin and Joan Jacobs School of Engineering. “We are working on interdisciplinary projects to enhance fundamental scientific understanding that will require tremendous amounts of computing power and graphics capabilities.” Early applications will include real-time monitoring and visualization of active seismic signals gathered over a wireless network.
“Now that our collaboration has begun, we look forward to close co-operation and engagement in addressing our mutual agenda of building the capacity for broadband visualization over long distances,” said Walter Stewart, SGI Director, Global Marketing, Research and Education.
The SGI Onyx"3400 visualization system installed at the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps Institution will drive a large-scale immersive visualization display, part of an optically-linked metro-area collaborative environment for analyzing satellite imagery, topography, seismic hazards, bridge structures under stress, and other three-dimensional data sets. Scripps will use this technology to study such topics as the impact of global warming on the planet's climate; the interior structure of the atmosphere, oceans and Earth; the impact of weather and pollution on the coastal ocean; and the variability in California’s water supply.
Said John Orcutt, UCSD professor of geophysics and director of Scripps’s Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP): “The Cal-(IT)2 partnership with SGI has been critical to development of a modern visualization system at IGPP for broad UCSD use. I believe our goal of developing a control room for visualizing environmental data in southern California from a real-time network of sensors will be met through the assistance and interest shown by SGI, and we intend to build the current installation significantly over the next 3-4 years. We believe this has never been done before in an academic environment.”
About Cal-(IT)2
The California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology is one of four institutes funded through the California Institutes for Science and Innovation initiative. Created in late 2000 by Gov. Gray Davis, CISI aims to ensure that California maintain its leadership in cutting-edge technologies. As part of CISI, the mission of Cal-(IT)2 is to extend the reach of the current information infrastructure throughout the physical world—enabling anywhere/anytime access to the Internet. More than 220 professors and senior researchers from UC Irvine and UC San Diego are collaborating on interdisciplinary projects. For more information on Cal-(IT)2, go to www.calit2.net.
Scripps Intitution of Oceanography: scripps.ucsd.edu
Scripps News: scrippsnews.ucsd.edu.
About SGI
SGI, formerly known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is a technology solutions provider with a broad range of high-performance computing, advanced graphics and consulting services that enable its technical and creative customers to maintain a competitive advantage in their core businesses. Whether being used to design and build safer cars and airplanes, discover new medications and oil reserves, help us to understand and better predict the weather or entertain us with thrilling movie special effects, SGI™ systems and expertise are empowering a world of innovation and discovery. The company, located on the Web at www.sgi.com, is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and has offices worldwide.