Computing in Science & Engineering

It is my privilege, as the incoming editor in chief, to extend a sincere thanks to Francis Sullivan for the excellent job he has done over the past four years at CiSE's helm. As part of my transitional education, Francis shared his wisdom concerning the magazine's strengths and needs. I then went back into CiSE history and met with George Cybenko, the magazine's first editor in chief, to drill eve... View full abstract»

Today, scientists can predict the Earth's climate months ahead of time. A new synergy between two competing analysis methods, statistical and dynamic, is helping push forecasts out even further. To truly be able to predict accurate forecasts years into the future, however, scientist must began accurately forecasting the weather phenomenon El Nino. View full abstract»

To begin this new series of Technology Reviews, the authors explore the three preeminent productivity tools for scientific and engineering computation. The forthcoming series will compare the tools in areas they overlap and contrast their scopes in areas where they extend beyond one another. The authors plan to particularly examine how they support three different categories of professional tasks,... View full abstract»

Natural organic matter (NOM) is a heterogeneous mixture of compounds affecting ecosystem function and drinking water treatment. An agent-based stochastic model simulates NOM transformations, allowing forward modeling of NOM's synthesis and degradation. Its use of Java and Web technologies makes the simulation model accessible to scientists worldwide. View full abstract»

A new 3D computer code can simulate the propagation of blast waves generated by explosive volcanic eruptions. The authors recently applied this code to an imaginary eruption of Mt. Fuji, and although the simulation still bears many assumptions and simplifications, its numerical results provide useful information regarding wave interactions with local ground geometry. View full abstract»

Attention is increasingly focused on quantum computing as a path to the continued rapid growth of information-processing technology. But like other physical circuitry, quantum computers must face the uncomfortable fact that man-made objects aren't exact reproductions of idealized devices and aren't invariably perfectly reproducible. The consequences of this imperfection threaten the future of quan... View full abstract»

The Top500 list, which has been updated semiannually for the past decade (1995-2005), ranks the 500 most powerful computers installed worldwide. Analyzing this data gives an impartial look at the supercomputer industry's current state and development trends, and sheds light on the challenges the industry faces. View full abstract»