SGI Somnigroup International Inc

Chinese Astrophysics Scientists Investigate the Origin of the Universe Using SGI Technology Two Observatories Collaborate to Unlock the Secrets of Galaxy Formation BEIJING and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Scientists and novices alike have gazed at the night sky for centuries and pondered, "How was the Universe formed?" Silicon Graphics (NYSE:SGI) today announced that through the use of its high-performance supercomputing technology, the answers to these and many other questions about the origins of the Universe may be uncovered by astrophysics scientists at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory and the Nanjing Purple Mountain Astronomical Observatory. With the new SGI(R) Altix(R) systems installed in November at each observatory -- Shanghai and Nanjing -- scientists are exploring the theory of the structure of evolution of the Universe by running high-resolution numerical simulations of galaxy formation. Galaxy Formation is one of the most important and most challenging problems in astrophysics. In standard theories, it is believed that the Universe is dominated by dark matter -- matter that influences the evolution of the universe gravitationally -- but is not seen directly in present observations. Most astronomers think that the universe was formed during an event called the Big Bang -- a giant explosion which occurred between 10 and 20 billion years ago. During the Big Bang all of the space, time, matter and energy in the universe were created. This giant explosion hurled matter in all directions and caused space itself to expand. As the universe cooled the material in it combined to form galaxies, stars, and planets. "Although there have been many exciting developments in analytical, semi-analytical or empirical modeling of dark matter distribution, their validity still depends heavily on the resolution of the simulations used. With the new Altix system, we can easily run the 2563 particles in one step of 20 seconds, and run 5123 in 6-7 minutes. Altix makes science easier," said Mr. Long Long Feng, project leader of Nanjing Astronomical Observation. "The other benefit of the Altix system is it lets researchers concentrate on real science, we do not need to worry about programming in order to manage the system -- the system is very straightforward and easy to manage." "We selected SGI Altix 350 because its large shared-memory really benefits these kinds of simulations," added Mr. Yi Peng Jing, project leader of Shanghai Astronomical Observation. "The complex computations are very memory intensive and SGI is unique in the industry for its ability to handle such large, complex and memory-intensive calculations." "SGI systems have been deployed at planetariums and science centers around the world to help unlock the secrets of our universe and beyond. The Astronomical Observatories of Shanghai and Nanjing are among those prestigious ranks of leading research centers in search of the answers to the origins of the universe," said Alex Lee, president, SGI, China. "SGI solutions combined with the expertise of scientists' at the Chinese Academy of Science's Observatories will accelerate research progress, fueling innovation and solving many of the mysteries in all areas of cosmology." Two SGI(R) Altix(R) 350 systems powered by 16 Intel(R) Itanium(R) 2 processors each with 96GB and 48GB shared memory and running the 64-bit Linux(R) operation system, were installed in November at the two locations -- Nanjing and Shanghai -- but run cosmological simulations for the same project. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding SGI technologies and third-party technologies that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely unduly on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future or current performance. Such risks and uncertainties include long-term program commitments, the performance of third parties, the sustained performance of current and future products, financing risks, the ability to integrate and support a complex technology solution involving multiple providers and users, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's most recent SEC reports, including its reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) is one of the institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It is responsible for the VLBI and SLR networks of the National Astronomical Observatory of China (NAOC). It also hosts the central office of the Asia-Pacific Space Geodynamics Program (APSG), as well as a partner group of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA). It was formally established in 1962 following the amalgamation of the former Xujiahui (originally spelt Zi-Ka-Wei) and Sheshan (Zo-Se) observatories, which were founded by the French Mission Catholique in 1872 and 1900 respectively. Nanjing Purple Mountain Astronomical Observatory Nanjing Purple Mountain Astronomical Observatory is one of the institutes of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). It includes a variety of research programs including astrophysics, space geodynamics, solar magnetic activity and the structure of Universe. It was built in 1934 and has since become one of the China's leading astrological bases. The Observatory today still houses some valuable ancient astronomical instruments and carries out important research relating to inter stellar physics and the solar system. SILICON GRAPHICS | The Source of Innovation and Discovery(TM) SGI, also known as Silicon Graphics, Inc., is a leader in high-performance computing, visualization and storage. SGI's vision is to provide technology that enables the most significant scientific and creative breakthroughs of the 21st century. Whether it's sharing images to aid in brain surgery, finding oil more efficiently, studying global climate, providing technologies for homeland security and defense, or enabling the transition from analog to digital broadcasting, SGI is dedicated to addressing the next class of challenges for scientific, engineering and creative users. With offices worldwide, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and can be found on the Web at http://www.sgi.com/. NOTE: Silicon Graphics, SGI, Altix, the SGI cube and the SGI logo are registered trademarks and The Source of Innovation and Discovery are trademarks of Silicon Graphics, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries worldwide. Intel and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Contact: Marla Robinson, +1-256-864-3426, or , or PR HOTLINE, +1-650-933-7777, or PR FACSIMILE, +1-650-933-0283, all of SGI; or Lingling Zhang of SGI China, +86-1065228868, or . DATASOURCE: SGI CONTACT: Marla Robinson, +1-256-864-3426, or , or PR HOTLINE, +1-650-933-7777, or PR FACSIMILE, +1-650-933-0283, all of SGI; or Lingling Zhang of SGI China, +86-1065228868, or Web site: http://www.sgi.com/

Copyright