Dr. Dobb's | Parallelism and the Cloud | October 16, 2009

Description

Over the past decade, scientific and engineering research via computing has emerged as the third pillar of the scientific process, complementing theory and experiment. Several national studies have highlighted the importance of computational science as a critical enabler of scientific discovery and national competitiveness in the physical and biological sciences, medicine and healthcare, and design and manufacturing [1-3].

As the term suggests, computational science has historically focused on computation: the creation and execution of mathematical models of natural and artificial processes. Driven by opportunity and necessity, computational science is expanding to encompass both computing and data analysis. Today, a rising tsunami of data threatens to overwhelm us, consuming our attention by its very volume and diversity. Driven by inexpensive, seemingly ubiquitous sensors, broadband networks, and high-capacity storage systems, the tsunami encompasses data from sensors that monitor our planet from deep in the ocean, from land instruments, and from space-based imaging systems. It also includes environmental measurements and healthcare data that quantify biological processes and the effects of surrounding conditions.

Original URL

http://www.ddj.com/hpc-high-performance-computing/220601206?cid=RSSfeed_DDJ_All

http://www.ddj.com/hpc-high-performance-computing/220601206?cid=RSSfeed_DDJ_All