Supercomputer

A computer system built to perform exceptionally large or complex calculations at very high speed, typically by coordinating many processors in parallel.

Parallel computing: A computing approach that divides work among multiple processors or computers running at the same time. Supercomputers gain speed by splitting calculations into tasks that can run concurrently.
Central processing unit: A processor that executes instructions and coordinates general-purpose computing tasks. Each compute node typically contains CPUs that handle control and general calculations.
Numerical weather prediction: The use of mathematical models and observations to calculate the future state of the atmosphere. Weather forecasts require repeated calculations over large three-dimensional grids.
Distributed computing: A computing model in which independent networked computers coordinate to complete tasks. Unlike a tightly integrated supercomputer, distributed systems may span loosely connected machines.
Seymour Cray: An American electrical engineer who designed influential high-performance computers, including the CDC 6600 and Cray-1. His machines established enduring ideas in supercomputer architecture and design.
Message passing interface: A standard library specification for communication among processes in parallel programs. It lets supercomputer programs exchange data across distributed memory nodes.
Compute node: A computer within a cluster that contributes processing, memory, or storage resources. Large systems scale by linking many compute nodes into a coordinated machine.
Climate model: A mathematical representation of the climate system used to simulate past, present, or future conditions. Supercomputers run climate simulations across long timescales and fine spatial grids.
Mainframe computer: A large computer designed for reliable, high-volume transaction and data processing. Mainframes prioritize throughput and availability, while supercomputers emphasize demanding calculations.
CDC 6600: A Control Data Corporation supercomputer introduced in 1964 and widely regarded as the first successful supercomputer. Its performance and design helped define the early supercomputer era.

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