Petrobras Declares Dell-Constructed ‘Gaia’ Analysis Supercomputer

Sizzling at the heels of Pégaso, a 21 height petaflops gadget introduced now not even six months in the past, Petrobras – Brazil’s state-owned petroleum corporate – has introduced any other main supercomputer: Gaia, named for the Greek goddess of (and metonym for) Earth. The research-focused gadget, deliberate for 7.7 height petaflops of computing energy, will carry the petroleum company’s overall supercomputing capability over the 70 petaflops mark.

As with the announcement of Pégaso, the announcement of Gaia was once accompanied through simply a few extensive efficiency estimates – 7.7 height petaflops, 574kW – and few {hardware} main points. (Pégaso sooner or later debuted at the Top500 with AMD Epyc “Milan” CPUs and Nvidia A100 GPUs.) Gaia marks 2023 because the 5th consecutive yr during which Petrobras has publicly introduced a supercomputer; then again, BNAmericas reported that, in contrast to the previous 4 programs (Pégaso, Dragão, Atlas and Fênix), Gaia will probably be constructed through Dell fairly than Atos.

Whilst Gaia’s earthy title would possibly appear in deficient style for a fossil gas massive, it in reality serves a fairly literal goal: the brand new gadget is aimed toward making improvements to seismic imaging. “Gaia will probably be used to expand new applied sciences in geophysics, with a distinct center of attention on subsurface imaging and modeling,” defined Fernando Borges, Petrobras’ director of exploration and manufacturing (in translation). “The precision generated through the geophysical find out about of the fashions advanced with those new applied sciences will increase the likelihood of good fortune when opting for a space and predicting the habits of the rock all the way through the drilling of a smartly.”

“Gaia will probably be devoted to the advance of latest algorithms for imaging at Petrobras, in several states of technological adulthood, with a distinct center of attention at the least-squares and elastic complete waveform inversion tactics, along with programs the usage of device studying,” defined Paulo Palaia, Petrobras’ director of virtual transformation (in translation).

“That is the primary time that we’ve got a supercomputer of this dimension for examine,” Borges added. “We are hoping that it turns into a part of the Top500.”

Petrobras stated that Gaia has been designed for power potency, touting its placements at the Green500 and management on that entrance in Latin The usa – and, certainly, Pégaso positioned thirty ninth on the newest Green500 listing. (Rather confusingly, in addition they defined that Gaia’s power intake is similar to “a town of two,400 population,” which turns out extra alarming than reassuring.)

Petrobras’ height petaflops through the years. Symbol courtesy of Petrobras.

Pégaso introduced Petrobras’ supercomputing capability to 63 height petaflops; barring unknown programs, Gaia will have to carry the company to 70.7 height petaflops. A graphic from closing yr had proven a purpose of 80 height petaflops for 2022, so it kind of feels secure to think that Gaia received’t mark the top of Petrobras’ speedy investments in supercomputing.

Dell started handing over Gaia to its house at Petrobras’ Construction and Innovation Analysis Heart in Rio de Janeiro closing month. The gadget is anticipated to turn out to be operational in Q1 of the yr.

Supply Via https://www.hpcwire.com/2023/01/20/petrobras-announces-dell-built-gaia-research-supercomputer/