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Sparse Matrix Vector multiplication (SpMV) is one of basic building blocks in scientific computing, and acceleration of SpMV has been continuously required. In this research, we aim for accelerating SpMV on recent CPUs for sparse matrices that have a specific sparsity structure, namely a diagonally structured sparsity pattern. We focus a hybrid storage format that combines the DIA and CSR formats, so-called the HDC format. First, we recall the importance of introducing cache blocking techniques into HDC-based SpMV kernels. Next, based on the observation of the cache blocked kernel, we present a modified version of the HDC formats, which we call the M-HDC format, in which partial diagonal structures are expected to be more efficiently picked up. For these SpMV kernels, we theoretically analyze the expected performance improvement based on performance models. Then, we conduct comprehensive experiments on state-of-the-art multi-core CPUs. By the experiments using typical matrices, we clarify the detailed performance characteristics of each SpMV kernel. We also evaluate the performance for matrices appearing in practical applications and demonstrate that our approach can accelerate SpMV for some of them. Through the present paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of exploiting partial diagonal structures by the M-HDC format as a promising approach to accelerating SpMV on CPUs for a certain kind of practical sparse matrices.

At the 120-GeV proton accelerator facilities of Fermilab, USA, water samples were collected from the cooling water systems for the target, magnetic horn1, magnetic horn2, decay pipe, and hadron absorber at the NuMI beamline as well as from the cooling water systems for the collection lens, pulse magnet and collimator, and beam absorber at the antiproton production target station, just after the shutdown of the accelerators for a maintenance period. Specific activities of {\gamma} -emitting radionuclides and 3H in these samples were determined using high-purity germanium detectors and a liquid scintillation counter. The cooling water contained various radionuclides depending on both major and minor materials in contact with the water. The activity of the radionuclides depended on the presence of a deionizer. Specific activities of 3H were used to estimate the residual rates of 7Be. The estimated residual rates of 7Be in the cooling water were approximately 5% for systems without deionizers and less than 0.1% for systems with deionizers, although the deionizers function to remove 7Be from the cooling water., Comment: 5 p

The JASMIN Collaboration has performed an experiment to conduct measurements of nuclear reaction rates around the anti-proton production (Pbar) target at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL). At the Pbar target station, the target, consisting an Inconel 600 cylinder, was irradiated by a 120 GeV/c proton beam from the FNAL Main Injector. The beam intensity was 3.6 x 10**12 protons per second. Samples of Al, Nb, Cu, and Au were placed near the target to investigate the spatial and energy distribution of secondary particles emitted from it. After irradiation, the induced activities of the samples were measured by studying their gamma ray spectra using HPGe detectors. The production rates of 30 nuclides induced in Al, Nb, Cu, Au samples were obtained. These rates increase for samples placed in a forward (small angle) position relative to the target. The angular dependence of these reaction rates becomes larger for increasing threshold energy. These experimental results are compared with Monte Carlo calculations. The calculated results generally agree with the experimental results to within a factor of 2 to 3., Comment: 6 pp. ND 2010: International Conference on Nuclear Data for Science and Technology, 26-30 Apr 2010: Jeju Island, Korea

Experimental studies of shielding and radiation effects at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) have been carried out under collaboration between FNAL and Japan, aiming at benchmarking of simulation codes and study of irradiation effects for upgrade and design of new high-energy accelerator facilities. The purposes of this collaboration are (1) acquisition of shielding data in a proton beam energy domain above 100 GeV; (2) further evaluation of predictive accuracy of the PHITS and MARS codes; (3) modification of physics models and data in these codes if needed; (4) establishment of irradiation field for radiation effect tests; and (5) development of a code module for improved description of radiation effects. A series of experiments has been performed at the Pbar target station and NuMI facility, using irradiation of targets with 120 GeV protons for antiproton and neutrino production, as well as the M-test beam line (M-test) for measuring nuclear data and detector responses. Various nuclear and shielding data have been measured by activation methods with chemical separation techniques as well as by other detectors such as a Bonner ball counter. Analyses with the experimental data are in progress for benchmarking the PHITS and MARS15 codes. In this presentation recent activities and results are reviewed., Comment: 15 pp. 10th Meeting of the Task-Force on Shielding Aspects of Accelerators, Targets and Irradiation Facilities (SATIF10), 2-4 Jun 2010: Geneva, Switzerland

Neutron energy spectrum from 120 GeV protons on a thick copper target was measured at the Meson Test Beam Facility (MTBF) at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The data allows for evaluation of neutron production process implemented in theoretical simulation codes. It also helps exploring the reasons for some disagreement between calculation results and shielding benchmark data taken at high energy accelerator facilities, since it is evaluated separately from neutron transport. The experiment was carried out using a 120 GeV proton beam of 3E5 protons/spill. Since the spill duration was 4 seconds, proton-induced events were counted pulse by pulse. The intensity was maintained using diffusers and collimators installed in the beam line to MTBF. The protons hit a copper block target the size of which is 5cm x 5cm x 60 cm long. The neutrons produced in the target were measured using NE213 liquid scintillator detectors, placed about 5.5 m away from the target at 30^{\circ} and 5 m 90^{\circ} with respect to the proton beam axis. The neutron energy was determined by time-of-flight technique using timing difference between the NE213 and a plastic scintillator located just before the target. Neutron detection efficiency of NE213 was determined on basis of experimental data from the high energy neutron beam line at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The neutron spectrum was compared with the results of multi-particle transport codes to validate the implemented theoretical models. The apparatus would be applied to future measurements to obtain a systematic data set for secondary particle production on various target materials., Comment: 10 pp. 10th Meeting of the Task-Force on Shielding Aspects of Accelerators, Targets and Irradiation Facilities (SATIF10) 2-4 Jun 2010: Geneva, Switzerland