The Cray XC40TM is a new supercomputer, costing $156 million, that could help make the UK a world leader in weather forecasting and climate science. The supercomputer will be used by the Met Office, the UK's public climate research and weather agency.
This supercomputer is one of the fastest in the world -- it comprises 480,000 cores, 2 million GB of memory and can store up to 17 million GB of data. In peak performing conditions, it is capable of making 16,000 trillion calculations per second. This represents a significant upgrade over the IBM Power 775, which has a memory of 80,000 GB, can store up to 2 million GB and can make 1,200 trillion calculations a second.
The computer will allow for highly detailed and precise weather forecasting and high-resolution weather modeling. It will effectively be able to predict differences in weather conditions between individual streets. These and other capabilities could help the computer contribute billions of dollars in socio-economic benefits to the UK.
Weather Forecasting Supercomputers
The Cray XC470TM Can Make 16,000 Trillion Calculations a Second
Trend Themes
1. High-performance Supercomputers - The development of supercomputers such as the Cray XC40TM drives the potential for further breakthrough discoveries in scientific research and aids in advancements in weather forecasting, among many others.
2. Advanced Climate Science - The Cray XC40TM's ability to efficiently process vast amounts of data could pave the way for new insights in the fields of climate science and weather forecasting.
3. Precision Weather Forecasting - The capabilities of the Cray XC40TM will allow for more detailed weather forecasting and high-resolution weather modeling, which can help save lives and property during severe weather events.
Industry Implications
1. Scientific Research - Cutting-edge supercomputing services can greatly aid in advanced scientific research, benefiting a wide range of industries and disciplines, including pharmaceutical, aerospace, defense, and energy.
2. Meteorology - The Met Office and other national weather agencies stand to benefit hugely from advancements in supercomputing technology, improving their abilities to accurately predict and communicate concerning weather patterns and natural disasters.
3. Data Analytics - Companies and organizations that depend on vast amounts of data, such as financial firms and retailers, can leverage the power of supercomputing to process these complex data sets quickly and efficiently, enabling the creation of predictive models that can inform business strategies and decisions.