Community Computing

NCAR's Scientific Computing Division provides large computing resources for the community of researchers in atmospheric, oceanic, and related sciences. The purpose is twofold — to provide computing support for NCAR research and to extend the computing resources for university scientists so they can pursue investigations beyond the scope of university computing centers. Community Computing resources are also made available to a small number of projects funded by other government agencies and by the private sector.

The Community Computing equipment shown in the diagram of SCD computing resources is used by university scientists and NCAR researchers to investigate questions in the atmospheric sciences, geophysics and solar physics. Community Computing operates on much of the same equipment as the Climate Simulation Lab.

To use SCD community computers, a researcher must obtain an allocation of General Accounting Units (GAUs). GAUs are the common currency by which SCD charges for use of supercomputers, storage, network access, and other essential resources.