AKUNA: A COLLABORATIVE USER ENVIRONMENT FOR SIMULATION, VISUALIZATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Scientists use measured data to create subsurface numerical models, execute simulations and analyze results from advanced simulators that are often times executed on high performance computing platforms. This process often requires a team of scientists collaborating on data collection, model creation and analysis of model outputs. This presentation shows that teams can benefit from a user environment called Akuna that permits subsurface scientists in disparate locations to collaborate on numerical modeling and analysis projects. Rather than an end-user be responsible for developing batch files, scripts, and programs to link data and applications together, Akuna provides a smart user interface that simplifies and automates this workflow. The Akuna platform manages all aspects of model development, starting with the definition of the conceptual model, management of data and metadata for model input, sensitivity analysis, model calibration and uncertainty quantification, model execution, and processing of model output, including visualization. A second component, Agni, provides toolkits for parameter estimation, uncertainty quantification, and sensitivity analysis. It also provides simulation execution control for ensembles of simulations, and Akuna provides tools for rapid visualization of the ensemble simulation results. Both Akuna and Agni are designed to be simulator agnostic with well-defined extension points for supporting new simulators. Instead of building a simulator-specific toolset, architectural mechanisms have been incorporated to make it straightforward to extend the core of Akuna to support any simulator. To date, development has focused on tight integration among the different toolsets and the integration of open source, high-performance simulators (e.g., GEOSIM, Amanzi, and eSTOMP) that can be used not only to generate aquifer heterogeneity, but to simulate saturated and unsaturated flow with reactive geochemical transport.