The unclassified machine, capable of a theoretical peak of 3.8 trillion calculations per second, will be used by the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Centre (NERSC)for a wide range of sophisticated research projects, such as simulating internal engine combustion.
Scientists believe this research could lead to the development of automobile engines that consume less petrol and emit fewer pollutants. This type of next-generation could result in annual savings of more than US$30 billion in energy-related costs in the United States alone.
The supercomputer ranks as the second-fastest computer in the world, second to IBM's own ASCI White System, which is engaged in classified modeling of nuclear weapons explosions.
"IBM has extended its supercomputing leadership by designing systems that are equally at home running huge Web sites as they are solving complex scientific problems," said Surjit Chana, IBM vice president, high performance computing. "IBM will continue to deliver the kind of supercomputing technology that will help solve the most challenging problems of business, engineering and science."
IBM's efforts in supercomputing have assured it of the number one spot in an independent list of the world's fastest supercomputers. The Top 500 List was released as a joint effort by researchers at the University of Tennessee and the University of Mannheim in Germany.
It also holds 201 of the top 500 spots, a feat unmatched by other vendors competing in the supercomputing space.
