Optimizing Three-Dimensional Stencil-Operations on Heterogeneous Computing Environments

Nina Herrmann, Justus Dieckmann, Herbert Kuchen

Abstract: Complex algorithms and enormous data sets require parallel execution of programs to attain results in a reasonable amount of time. Both aspects are combined in the domain of three-dimensional stencil operations, for example, computational fluid dynamics. This work contributes to the research on high-level parallel programming by discussing the generalizable implementation of a three-dimensional stencil skeleton that works in heterogeneous computing environments. Two exemplary programs, a gas simulation with the Lattice Boltzmann method, and a mean blur, are executed in a multi-node multi-graphics processing units environment, proving the runtime improvements in heterogeneous computing environments compared to a sequential program.