Extremely Large Datasets
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Solving Big Questions Requires Big Computation
Understanding the origins of our solar system, the future of our planet or humanity requires complex calculations run on high-power computers.
Five Years of Illumination: SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source
Five years ago, the brightest source of X-rays on the planet lit up at SLAC. The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray laser's scientific and technical progress since its momentous "first light" have been no less luminous, say those who have played a role in its success.
Data-mining for Crystal 'Gold' at SLAC's X-ray Laser
A new tool for analyzing mountains of data from SLAC’s Linac Coherent Lightsource (LCLS) X-ray laser can produce high-quality images of important proteins using fewer samples. Scientists hope to use it to reveal the structures and functions of proteins that have proven elusive, as well as mine data from past experiments for new information
The Seven Biggest Questions in Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology
SLAC's Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) recently hosted many of the top scientists in the field to discuss the most important questions to confront in the coming decade.
Completing the Circuit: SLAC-designed Chips Empower X-ray Science
Scientists in SLAC's Integrated Circuits Department reach a new frontier in ultrafast X-ray science with intricately designed signal-processing chips that translate particles of light into bits of data.
XLDB 2013 Examines 'Big Data' Projects
If Benjamin Franklin were alive today, he would likely extend his often-quoted list of life's certainties – death and taxes – to include more and more data. SLAC computer scientist Jacek Becla couldn't agree more. As founder of the Extremely Large Databases (XLDB) conference, which serves people who work with datasets too large or complex for conventional solutions, Becla is intimately aware of the information explosion.
SLAC's X-ray Laser Explores Big Data Frontier
It's no surprise that the data systems for SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source X-ray laser have drawn heavily on the expertise of the particle physics community, where collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data are key to scientific success.
With its detectors collecting information on atomic- and molecular-scale phenomena measured in quadrillionths of a second, LCLS stores data at a rate and scale comparable to experiments at the world's most powerful particle collider, the Large Hadron Collider in Europe.
