Grid computing to help investigate climate change
The ‘Conference on the role of e-Infrastructures for Climate Change Research’ was held at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, in Trieste, on 16-20 May this year. The event brought together scientists and policy makers from across the world, in order to address climate change from economic, political and scientific perspectives.
e-Infrastructures is a term given to advanced computer systems and networks which are capable of running simulations based on massive data sets – such as, in the field of climate change, models of monsoon rainfall. Such systems can enable researchers to conduct rapid and accurate simulations – even remotely.
The users of these networks – who form so-called virtual research communities – rely on policy makers to ensure the continued operation of the systems.
“The interconnection, and interoperability, between Europe, Asia and other continents is a must for new virtual research communities that need to collaborate – at an international level – to address new large scale, top-level scientific challenges, such as climate change,” says Federico Ruggieri, the project coordinator of CHAIN and EUMEDGRID-Support, adding that such projects can provide researchers in developing countries with computing resources they would otherwise not have access to.
The conference saw attendees from e-Infrastructure projects from across the globe, including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, India, the Mediterranean, Latin America and the US; along with presentations by leading climate researchers.
EU-IndiaGrid2 is one such project. “Climate change is one of the flagship applications of the Indian National Knowledge Network, with a massive one billion euro infrastructure program – which will run till 2020 – recently launched by the Indian government,” says Alberto Masoni, EU-IndiaGrid2 project coordinator.
The event was organised by EUMEDGRID-Support, EU-India, CHAIN and the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
