Dylan Keon

Equations for potential annual direct incident radiation and heat load

Abstract Estimation of potential annual direct incident radiation has traditionally required numerical integration with simulation models. As an alternative, we present convenient equations for use in spreadsheet, GIS, and database applications. Input variables are latitude, slope, and aspect. The equations apply to 0–60°north latitude, slopes from 0–90°, and all aspects. By transforming aspect, the equations can also be applied as an index of heat load, symmetrical about a northeast to southwest axis.

Development of an aquatic pathogen database (AquaPathogen X) and its utilization in tracking emerging fish virus pathogens in North America.

The AquaPathogen X database is a template for recording information on individual isolates of aquatic pathogens and is freely available for download (http://wfrc.usgs.gov). This database can accommodate the nucleotide sequence data generated in molecular epidemiological studies along with the myriad of abiotic and biotic traits associated with isolates of various pathogens (e.g. viruses, parasites and bacteria) from multiple aquatic animal host species (e.g. fish, shellfish and shrimp). The cataloguing of isolates from different aquatic pathogens simultaneously is a unique feature to the AquaPathogen X database, which can be used in surveillance of emerging aquatic animal diseases and elucidation of key risk factors associated with pathogen incursions into new water systems. An application of the template database that stores the epidemiological profiles of fish virus isolates, called Fish ViroTrak, was also developed. Exported records for two aquatic rhabdovirus species emerging in North America were used in the implementation of two separate web-accessible databases: the Molecular Epidemiology of Aquatic Pathogens infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (MEAP-IHNV) database (http://gis.nacse.org/ihnv/) released in 2006 and the MEAP- viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (http://gis.nacse.org/vhsv/) database released in 2010.

A Community Databank for Performance Tracefiles

Tracefiles provide a convenient record of the behavior of HPC programs, but are not generally archived because of their storage requirements. This has hindered the developers of performance analysis tools, who must create their own tracefile collections in order to test tool functionality and usability. This paper describes a shared databank where members of the HPC community can deposit tracefiles for use in studying the performance characteristics of HPC platforms as well as in tool development activities. We describe how the Tracefile Testbed was designed and implemented to facilitate flexible searching and retrieval of tracefiles. A Web-based interface provides a convenient mechanism for browsing and downloading collections of tracefiles and tracefile segments based on a variety of characteristics. The paper discusses the key implementation challenges.

Web-based spatiotemporal simulation modeling and visualization of tsunami inundation and potential human response

Modeling spatiotemporal phenomena can provide insight into potential behavior of simulated objects during hypothetical events. Simulation frameworks can be a useful method of modeling these scenarios, and become more flexible when developed in a fashion that facilitates automated generation of output based on variable input parameters. By connecting a simulation framework to a web-based system, a user can assign input parameters of their choosing, run a simulation, and explore the output data in a dynamic, animated, map-based context using a standard web browser. The framework described here utilizes tsunami simulation data and user input to generate a combined web-based visualization and simulation model of human response to tsunami inundation. Input parameters pertaining to human population and community of interest are provided by the user and guide automated development of a simulation model scenario of spatiotemporal human response to a hypothetical tsunami inundation event. Simulated human movement is calculated at each time step using casualty model algorithms informed by behavioral research and variables such as water depth and road networks, while a mix of server-side and client-side code renders the mapping interface and supports user interaction within the web browser. Interactive controls included in the web-based simulation viewer allow the user to manipulate the map display and query underlying data either manually by time step or interactively while animation is underway. Although modeling of human movement has inherent limitations, integration of a formal casualty model with the automated simulation framework represents a unique quantitative approach for casualty determination and simulation modeling.

Protecting Our Shorelines: Modeling the Effects of Tsunamis and Storm Waves

Predicting the complex behavior and aftermath of coastal tsunamis and storm surges is inherently difficult. Real-time disaster warning requires rapid computation with reliable accuracy and effective output presentation. The authors present two ways to leverage high-performance computing resources to address these challenges.

The tracefile testbed - a community repository for identifying and retrieving HPC performance data

High-performance computing (HPC) programmers utilize tracefiles, which record program behavior in great detail, as the basis for many performance analysis activities. The lack of generally accessible tracefiles has forced programmers to develop their own testbeds in order to study the basic performance characteristics of the platforms they use. Since tracefiles serve as input to performance analysis and performance prediction tools, tool developers have also been hindered by the lack of a testbed for verifying and fine-tuning tool functionality, We created a community repository that meets the needs of both application and tool developers. In this paper, we describe how the tracefile testbed was designed to facilitate flexible searching and retrieval of tracefiles based on a variety of characteristics. Its Web-based interface provides a convenient mechanism for browsing, downloading, and uploading collections of tracefiles and tracefile segments, as well as viewing statistical summaries of performance characteristics.

The Tracefile Testbed: a community repository for identifying and retrieving HPC performance data

HPC programmers utilise tracefiles, which record program behaviour in great detail, as the basis for many performance analysis activities. The lack of generally accessible tracefiles has forced programmers to develop their own testbeds in order to study the basic performance characteristics of the platforms they use. Because tracefiles serve as input to performance analysis and performance prediction tools, tool developers have also been hindered by the lack of a testbed for verifying and fine-tuning tool functionality. A community repository that meets the needs of both application and tool developers has been created in this study. In this paper, we describe how the Tracefile Testbed was designed to facilitate flexible searching and retrieval of tracefiles based on a variety of characteristics has been described. Its web-based interface provides a convenient mechanism for browsing, downloading, and uploading collections of tracefiles and tracefile segments, as well as viewing statistical summaries of performance characteristics.