Abstract
Fluid dynamical simulations based on finite discretizations on (quasi-)static grids scale well in parallel, but execute at a disappointing percentage of per-processor peak floating point operation rates without special attention to layout and access ordering of data. We document both claims from our experience with an unstructured grid CFD code that is typical of the state of the practice at NASA. These basic performance characteristics of PDE-based codes can be understood with surprisingly simple models, for which we quote earlier work, presenting primarily experimental results. The performance models and experimental results motivate algorithmic and software practices that lead to improvements in both parallel scalability and per node performance. This snapshot of ongoing work updates our 1999 Bell Prize-winning simulation on ASCI computers.