The Institute of Physics of Cantabria (IFCA) is a joint research centre of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the University of Cantabria (UC). Both organisations contribute personnel and resources. It was created in 1995.
The aim of the Institute is to do research in “basic science” in different aspects of Physics, studying from the largest (the Universe) to the smallest (elementary particles) scales.
This research is structured in two Departments:
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Astrophysics:
Astrophysics:
- X-Ray Astronomy
Observational
- Cosmology and Instrumentation
- Instrumentation to large telescopes
- Statistical and Non-linear Physics: Lasers and Complex Systems
- Development and instrumentation of particle detectors.
- Distributed Computing: Grids and E-science.
In them, more than 90 researchers carry out various national and international projects.
At present the Distributed Computing: Grids and E-science research line is involved in the following projects: EGEE III, DORII, EUFORIA and CMS Tier-2. (More information about IFCA participation in these project at the science section).
On the other hand, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has deployed a distributed computing infrastructure to facilitate CSIC researchers the accomplishment of scientific projects requiring computing resources beyond the capabilities of a single user or research group. GRID-CSIC has been therefore given the structure of a Horizontal Unit inside the Council. The coordination is done from the Institute of Physics of Cantabria (IFCA), in Santander.
The GRID - CSIC infrastructure intends to foster multidisciplinarity and joint projects between CSIC centers. Researchers from CSIC will have seamless access to a distributed infrastructure consisting in the first phase (2008 - 2010) of over 8000 CPUs and a total storage of more than 1000 TeraB (1 PetaB).
The GRID - CSIC infrastructure intends to foster multidisciplinarity and joint projects between CSIC centers. Researchers from CSIC will have seamless access to a distributed infrastructure consisting in the first phase (2008 - 2010) of over 8000 CPUs and a total storage of more than 1000 TeraB (1 PetaB).