Chile: Catholic University of Chile launches new supercomputer

The Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (UC Chile) has installed the new Geryon 3 supercomputer in a 36 sqm (387 sq ft) room at the UC Institute of Astrophysics in Santiago.

"To complement our observational capabilities, we will need a strong group of theorists who can help interpret the results of the experiments and enrich the research,” said Dean Samuel Hevia. “The simulations team, which is part of CATA and UC Chile, is working to fill this gap, supported by instruments such as the supercomputer we are seeing today. I am sure Geryon 3 will be a fundamental pillar in developing the UC Institute of Astrophysics and the CATA community.”

CATA director, Guido Garay, added: "The acquisition of the Geryon 3 supercomputer substantially boosts our computational capabilities. This will enable us to analyze the vast data sets from the new mega telescopes and conduct more advanced simulations. Ultimately, it will deepen our comprehension of the physical phenomena occurring in the universe.”

By the 2030s, Chile will have the largest astronomical observation capacity in the world. New observatories, such as the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), and the Vera C Rubin Observatory will be added to the existing infrastructure.