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Acceleration of the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) Model using OpenACC and Case Study of the August 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone

Haines, Wesley Adam
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373472482

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Atmospheric Sciences.
This work presents two research projects: the first is a project to boost the performance of a weather model by extending the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model programming code with new technology, OpenACC, a directive-based command language. Combined with a compatible compiler, this allows WRF to run select subroutines on accelerators such as the popular NVIDIA Tesla video cards. Preliminary results show a 1.2x speed-up of the overall model by simply adding around 20 lines of easy-to-understand compiler directives to just one of several WRF physics schemes. The latest hardware from NVIDIA and Intel may allow further speed-up in future work due to hardware design improvements and better memory management. This modified model is then used in a second project, a Case Study of the August 2012 "Great Arctic Cyclone" (3-13 August). This Case Study provides a simulation of the atmospheric processes that helped to intensify the storm and to assess whether the storm had a major effect on the dramatic decline of sea ice extent in August. Results show that interaction with an upper-level vortex and warm air advection near the surface assisted in the persistence of the cyclone. Strong surface winds assisted in a break-up of the already-melting sea ice. Existing literature points to upwelling of warm ocean water, and the combination of these conditions rapidly melted sea ice from above and below. The unprecedented loss of sea ice starting on 6 August 2012 and in the following two weeks, in addition to other influences, contributed to 2012's Arctic sea ice extent minimum surpassing that of 2007, reaching the lowest on record for the satellite era.
David Bromwich (Advisor)
Jay Hobgood (Committee Member)
Jialin Lin (Committee Member)
91 p.
Atmospheric Sciences; Climate Change; Computer Science
weather modeling, NWP, WRF, GPGPU, hardware acceleration, cyclone, Arctic, polar, sea ice, Great Arctic Cyclone

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Haines, W. A. (2013). Acceleration of the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) Model using OpenACC and Case Study of the August 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373472482

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Haines, Wesley. Acceleration of the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) Model using OpenACC and Case Study of the August 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone. 2013. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373472482.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Haines, Wesley. "Acceleration of the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) Model using OpenACC and Case Study of the August 2012 Great Arctic Cyclone." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1373472482

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1373472482
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.