PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN DEVELOPMENT OF A PARALLEL SKYHI GENERAL-CIRCULATION MODEL

We have developed a parallel version of the SKYHI atmospheric general circulation model. The new parallel model has been designed for shared and distributed memory machines that support data parallel, message p assing or worksharing programming paradigms. The newly developed model has a framework that makes the code easier to understand, maintain, a nd modify, increasing the model's flexibility and scientific productiv ity. Numerous model changes are described (code design, programming mo dels, language choice, data decomposition, communications, table looku ps, memory management, and i/o) that were necessary to develop the mod el. The performance and verification of the model is described on seve ral systems including a shared-memory machine with high-level workshar ing and a distributed-memory system with a data parallel programming p aradigm.