Upcoming TALKS

Title: Bringing mineral exploration into the massively parallel age: How GPUs and other accelerator hardware can be used to improve geophysics computations

Date: Tuesday, April 8th at 4 PM

Speaker:  Paul Köttering, Project Lead at Vorticity Inc

Location: online

Abstract: 

Recent advances in graphics processing units (GPUs) and accelerator hardware have significantly expanded our ability to address computationally intensive geophysical problems at unprecedented scales and resolutions. In this talk, we will introduce key principles of massively parallel architectures and illustrate their capacity to substantially enhance the speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of geophysical computations. Three practical case studies will be showcased: (1) large-scale 3D airborne electromagnetic (AEM) inversions, (2) accelerated direct current induced polarization (DCIP) inversions for improved uncertainty quantification, and (3) continental-scale magnetic inversions previously unfeasible due to computational limitations.

We will also explore crucial algorithmic adaptations necessary to fully leverage GPU capabilities and discuss current hardware limitations—particularly as GPU development increasingly prioritizes artificial intelligence applications. By highlighting these technological advancements, attendees will gain practical insights into how massively parallel computing architectures can result in more robust, efficient, and comprehensive geophysical analyses.

Author Biography: 

Paul Köttering is a Project Lead at Vorticity Inc., where he works on developing state-of-the-art computational solutions for geophysics. He holds an M.Sc. in Scientific Computing from New York University and a B.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley. At Vorticity, Paul has spearheaded the development of the mineral exploration industry’s first GPU-accelerated geophysical inversion technology.