A Hybrid MPI/OpenMP Parallelization Scheme Based on Nested FDTD for Parametric Decay Instability

Abstract

Parametric decay instability (PDI) generated in milliseconds is an important physical phenomenon in ionospheric heating. Usually, numerical simulations are used to study PDI mechanisms. They can intuitively investigate the generation and development process of PDI, which is necessary in experimental studies. When simulating the PDI phenomenon through the explicit finite-difference time-domain (FDTD), the spatial scale spans from kilometers to centimeters, and the time scale needs to meet the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy condition. Simulating the PDI phenomenon is time-consuming and difficult due to the high spatial resolution and strict restriction on the discrete time step. Although a nested mesh technique can boost the computational efficiency, the application of a parallel strategy is imperative to further improve it. In this study, we present a hybrid Message Passing Interface (MPI)/OpenMP parallelization scheme to solve the above-mentioned problems. This scheme can achieve an adaptive calculation and automatic allocation of MPI tasks and OpenMP threads, proving its flexibility and portability. Under the EISCAT background parameters, the PDI phenomenon was simulated. The results of the wave mode conversion and intense localized turbulence were identical to those of the serial program. Furthermore, a new simulation example and the effect of the cavity depth on electrostatic waves and negative ion density cavity were investigated. By utilizing the proposed parallelization scheme, the simulation time can be reduced from 70 h for the serial program to 3.6 h.