Code verification & benchmarking

The procedure of testing the overall functionality of the PALM-4U components is organized into three categories:

Fig 1: Testing categories.

Simulation setups for category-1 tests

Category 1 includes checks of the PALM-4U source code for compliance to the general FORTRAN coding standard, as well as to the specific PALM formatting rules. Further, the code is tested for run-time errors as well as compiler-dependent functionality issues, and simulation results are checked for elementary plausibility. For this purpose small setups are sufficient, suitable to run on desktop PCs (2-4 processor cores) within a time frame of O(1-10min).
Three setups with different generic building topographies and tree distributions are available (see Fig. 2), making use of the urban surface model (USM), clear-sky radiation model, and plant canopy model (PCM). To summarize some of the setup features:

• Domain: 20 x 20 x 20 m³
• Grid size: 2m
• Moderate wind from west
• Clear-sky conditions, dry atmosphere (USM does not yet consider latent heat fluxes in surface energy balance)
• Cyclic lateral boundary conditions

Fig 2: (S)mall setups with different generic building topographies and tree distributions.

For each of the three setups, a [.zip?] archive can be downloaded, containing [INPUT, MONITORING, OUTPUT?] files and a [README] file with the setup documentation:

• generic_cube​ setup
• generic_canyon​ setup
• generic_crossing​ setup

Simulation setups for category-2 tests

Two differently sized setups are defined:

• (M)edium setup for run-time optimization tests, and verification of the code efficiency on the MOSAIK demonstration PC
• (L)arge setup for code scalability tests on a high-performance computing system (​HLRN) with up to tens of thousands processor cores (see Fig. 3.

The base of PALM-4U -- ​PALM -- is highly optimized and its performance scales well up to 40,000 processor cores. PALM-4U shall maintain this high level of performance optimization.

Simulation setups for category-3 tests

These setups will be formulated once a decision has been made (in coordination with module B & C partners) which UCMs to apply. On MOSAIK's side, ​ENVIMET, ​FITNAH, and ​MUKLIMO_3 are on the shortlist. Selected setups must be compatible to run with PALM-4U as well as with the UCM of choice.