Arctic Region Supercomputing Center
The mission of the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center (ARSC) is to support high performance computational research in science and engineering with an emphasis on high latitudes and the Arctic.
ARSC is in the Butrovich Building on the UAF main campus. The center provides high performance computational and visualization data storage and networking resources to faculty, researchers and students at many of the university's research institutes. ARSC also provides computational resources for researchers within the Department of Defense, other academic institutions and state and federal agencies.
ARSC operates several high performance computing systems, including a Cray T3E, a Cray SX-6, a Cray SV1ex, an IBM SP and an IBM Regatta. Each system has access to the center's two Storage Tek robotic tape silos whose data storage capabilities are used to accommodate the large amounts of data produced by ARSC researchers. A major procurement is underway to update these systems to more powerful systems over the next year.
ARSC maintains three access labs on the UAF campus for use by faculty, affiliated researchers and students. These labs are in the Duckering building, the Natural Sciences facility and the Elvey building. Visualization hardware includes Silicon Graphics workstations, an Onyx2 with InfiniteReality graphics and a Pyramid Systems ImmersaDesk-a stereoscopic, virtual reality immersion visualization device. The center is installing a CAVE environment, which will provide a complete immersive virtual environment for students and researchers. The ARSC video production facility, in the Butrovich Building, is equipped with professional, broadcast-quality equipment and video editing hardware for producing animations or videos of research results.
University classes offered by joint ARSC faculty appointments in biology, art, computer science, engineering, physics and other disciplines provide opportunities for students to learn how to use ARSC resources. ARSC also offers a continuing program of training sessions to teach users how to use available resources.
For more information about obtaining an account at ARSC, the schedule of classes, or summer public tours telephone (907) 474-6935 or visit online at www.arsc.edu.