Powerful computing capabilities are essential in the research of climate change and natural phenomenon simulations. To this end, the Jülich Supercomputing Center in Germany recently launched JUPITER (Jupiter), Europe's first exascale supercomputer. The powerful processing capabilities of this computer have brought new possibilities for scientific research.
Image source note: The image is AI-generated, and the image licensing service is Midjourney.
JUPITER will make its debut on the TOP500 list of the world's most powerful computer systems in June 2025, ranking fourth. It has 5,900 accelerated computing nodes, equipped with approximately 24,000 Nvidia Grace-Hopper super chips and 1,300 nodes using Rhea1 processors. In addition, JUPITER also uses InfiniBand NDR networks to ensure high-speed data transmission. The design of this computer aims to support complex scientific computing tasks and promote research on climate models and weather forecasting.
Scientists are full of anticipation, especially the research teams participating in the "Destination Earth" digital twin project. This project aims to create a digital replica of the Earth system to better monitor and predict the interaction between natural phenomena and human activities. Researchers say that such a large machine is needed to process climate and atmospheric data, and JUPITER can display these physical phenomena at a resolution of 700 meters, thus providing deeper insights into meteorology and climate science.
Additionally, physicists from the Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany are also using JUPITER for their research. They focus on visualizing thermal plumes and exploring convection and turbulence phenomena in fluids and gases. Scientists use the powerful computing capabilities of this supercomputer to present details that were previously unattainable, further understanding complex flow patterns in nature.
The construction of JUPITER began in 2018, and after multiple upgrades and improvements, it was finally put into full operation in 2025 with the support of the JEDI prototype machine and the JETI transitional system module planned for release in 2024. The energy efficiency design of JUPITER has also attracted attention, as its cooling system uses the nearby Ruhr River water to provide heating for campus buildings, demonstrating a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainable development concepts.
The successful deployment of JUPITER not only demonstrates Europe's strength in the field of high-performance computing but also opens new doors for future scientific research.
Key points:
🌍 JUPITER is Europe's first exascale supercomputer, located at the Jülich Supercomputing Center in Germany.
⚙️ This computer has 5,900 accelerated nodes and 24,000 Nvidia super chips, supporting complex scientific computing.
♻️ JUPITER's cooling system uses the Ruhr River water, reflecting its concern for energy efficiency and sustainable development.