China to jump supercomputer barrier（中國突破超級計算機技術(shù)壁壘）（英文）
張之豪,張敏
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China to jump supercomputer barrier
China has started to build a new-generation supercomputer that is expected to be 10 times faster than the current world champion.
This year, China is aiming for breakthroughs in high-performance processors and other key technologies to build the world's first prototype exascale supercomputer, the Tianhe-3, said Meng Xiangfei, the director of application at the National Super Computer Tianjin Center. The prototype is expected to be completed in early 2018.
"Exascale" means it will be capable of making a quintillion (1 followed by 18 zeros) calculations per second. That is at least 10 times faster than the world's current speed champ, the Sunway TaihuLight, China's first supercomputer to use domestically designed processors. That computer has a peak speed of 125 quadrillion (1 followed by 15 zeros) calculations per second, he said.
"Its computing power is on the next level, cementing China as the world leader in supercomputer hardware," Meng said. It would be available for public use and "help us tackle some of the world's toughest scientific challenges with greater speed, precision and scope", he added.
Tianhe-3 will be made entirely in China, from processors to operating system. It will be stationed in Tianjin and fully operational by 2020, earlier than the US plan for its exascale supercomputer, he said.
China also likely has another exascale supercomputer in the works. "Such machines take years to make and typically are retired in six to eight years, so you always need a backup, especially when your older models are overworked."
Tianhe-1, China's first quadrillion-level supercomputer developed in 2009, is now working at full capacity, undertaking more than 1,400 assignments each day, solving problems "from stars to cells".
The exascale supercomputer will be able to analyze smog distribution on a national level, while current models can only handle a district. Tianhe-3 also could simulate earthquakes and epidemic outbreaks in more detail, allowing swifter and more effective government responses, Meng said.
The new machine also will be able to analyze gene sequence and protein structures in unprecedented scale and speed. That may lead to new discoveries and more potent medicine, he said.
Liu Guangming, director of the National Super Computer Tianjin Center, said Tianhe-3 will generate over 10 billion yuan ($1.49 billion) in economic benefits per year, according to the The Paper, a Shanghai news organization.
中國突破超級計算機技術(shù)壁壘
中國已啟動研制新一代超級計算機，該款計算機將比現(xiàn)在世界上最快的超級計算機運行速度還要快10倍。
中國國家超級計算天津中心應用研發(fā)部部長孟祥飛表示，目前中國正在瞄準高性能處理器和其他關鍵技術(shù)方面的突破，以研制世界上第一臺百億億次超級計算機——“天河三號”的原型機。該原型機預計將在2018年初完成。
“百億億次”意味著它的浮點計算處理能力將達到10的18次方。這比目前全球最快的超級計算機——“神威·太湖之光”的速度至少快10倍?！吧裢笔侵袊谝慌_使用國產(chǎn)處理器的超級計算機，其每秒鐘的峰值計算能力達到125萬億次。
“‘天河三號’的運算能力將更上一層樓，能鞏固中國在超級計算機硬件領域的世界領先地位?！泵舷轱w說，“它未來將向公眾開放使用，并幫助我們以更快的速度、更高的精度和廣度解決一些世界上最棘手的科學難題?！?/p>
孟祥飛透露，落戶天津的“天河三號”從處理器到操作系統(tǒng)將完全在中國制造，并計劃在2020年左右全面投入使用，早于美國超級計算機的制造計劃。
中國也可能同時在研發(fā)其他的百億億次超級計算機。孟祥飛指出：“超級計算機需要花費很多年才能制造出來，并且通常會在6-8年內(nèi)退役，所以你總是需要一個備用，尤其是在老款機型常常超負荷工作時?！?/p>
“天河一號”是中國第一臺千萬億次超級計算機，目前正滿負荷工作，每天承擔1400多項任務，解決“從行星到細胞”等各式各樣的問題。
百億億次的超級計算機能分析全國的霧霾擴散情況，而目前的超級計算機只能分析一個地區(qū)的霧霾擴散情況。孟祥飛說，“天河三號”可以更詳細、更快速地模擬地震和疫情爆發(fā)數(shù)據(jù)，使政府的應急措施更加迅速和有效。新超級計算機還將以前所未有的速度分析基因序列和蛋白質(zhì)結(jié)構(gòu)。這可能會帶來新的發(fā)現(xiàn)和產(chǎn)出更有效的藥物。
國家超級計算機天津中心主任劉光明透露，預計“天河三號”每年將產(chǎn)生超過100億元人民幣（約14.9億美元）的實際經(jīng)濟效益。
