The Application of High Performance Computing Technology in Meteorological Field

High performance computing (HPC), as one of fastest growing branches of information technology, solves complex computational problems via the usage of super-computer and parallel processing. The newest edition of the TOP500 list of the world's top supercomputers shows full entry into PFLOPS era. Most of them adopt cluster structure, with internal nodes interconnected by Infiniband technology. The Intel processor chip and Linux operating system occupy the dominant position. Leading HPC vendors have begun to explore ExaFlops supercomputers.Meteorology is one of the key areas on the application of HPC. Whether for short-term numerical weather forecast systems or for long-term numerical climate prediction systems, it is inseparable from the powerful computing and storage capacity support. Numerical weather prediction services have been timeliness requirement, and HPC technology overcomes efficiently restrictions of high-resolution, high-precision numerical models, and thus plays an essential supporting role. For decades, due to strong demands for HPC resources from numerical weather prediction research and operations, high performance computers and application see a rising requirement and rapid development in CMA and foreign meteorological department. Requirement for computing capabilities and system reliability is rising sharply. 22 high performance computer systems on the TOP500 list are used for the weather and climate fields. The development of meteorological numerical forecast models is characterized by higher resolution, more complicated physical processes, ensemble forecasts and model couplers. HPC capability building is especially important, as well as optimizing processor architecture, operating system, compiler and parallel environment, scientific computing library, etc. HPC resources for meteorological fields are always scarce, therefore, future management will be gradually transitioned from the current local pre-allocation way to the unified scheduling and sharing of local and remote resources. If HPC resources in the operational center of CMA headquarters and regional centers is put into unified management, monitoring, and sharing, it will solve resources integration, sharing and collaborative management, and other problems.HPC technology and weather prediction applications will be even more closely integrated, and expect innovative development in the future. In order to keep pace with numerical weather prediction research and operations, CMA will upgrade HPC capabilities and be committed to optimizing system deployment and managing computing resources to maximize efficiency.