Mixed-Precision Computing in the GRIST Dynamical Core for Weather and Climate Modelling

Abstract: Atmosphere modelling applications become increasingly memory-bound due to the inconsistent development rates between processor speeds and memory bandwidth. In this study, we mitigate memory bottlenecks and reduce the computational load of the GRIST dynamical core by adopting the mixed-precision computing strategy. Guided by a limited-degree of iterative development principle, we identify the equation terms that are precision insensitive and modify them from double- to single-precision. The results show that most precision-sensitive terms are predominantly linked to pressure-gradient and gravity terms, while most precision-insensitive terms are advective terms. The computational cost is reduced without compromising the solver accuracy. The runtime of the model's hydrostatic solver, non-hydrostatic solver, and tracer transport solver is reduced by 24%, 27%, and 44%, respectively. A series of idealized tests, real-world weather and climate modelling tests, has been performed to assess the optimized model performance qualitatively and quantitatively. In particular, in the high-resolution weather forecast simulation, the model sensitivity to the precision level is mainly dominated by the small-scale features. While in long-term climate simulation, the precision-induced sensitivity can form at the large scale.