LAC  Computational Astrophysics Lab

The Computational Astrophysics Laboratory (LAC) at the Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI) is a premier research center within the Institute of Physics and Chemistry (IFQ) dedicated to exploring the fundamental processes of the Universe through high-performance numerical simulations and advanced data analysis. Our infrastructure is anchored by the Giskard and Orion clusters, which provide over 360 processors and significant memory capacity—including the Giskard's 244 CPUs and over 500 GB of RAM—to support intensive projects in stellar evolution, galactic mapping, and extragalactic astrophysics. Led by a highly qualified permanent faculty including Hektor Monteiro, Wilton Dias and Oscar Cavichia, the LAC integrates these robust computational resources with the academic rigor of UNIFEI’s Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Physics. By focusing on specialized research frontiers such as planetary nebulae and the dynamics of open clusters, the laboratory provides an essential environment for training the next generation of researchers while producing high-impact contributions to the international scientific community.

In 2010, the Computational Astrophysics Laboratory (LAC) at the Federal University of Itajubá (Unifei) began to take shape with the acquisition of several workstations. These were funded through projects approved by Fapemig and CNPq, submitted by professors Wilton Dias and Hektor Monteiro of the university's Astrophysics Group. These projects provided a significant boost to the group’s research—an international reference in studies of Galactic structure and Planetary Nebulae—which directly or indirectly resulted in the production of 42 published works, 16 of which appeared in high-impact, peer-reviewed international journals.

Nearly five years later, LAC-UNIFEI has put into operation a small cluster named Giskard. It is equipped with:

Six computing nodes: Each with 40 CPUs at 2.20GHz and 94.57GB of RAM.

One headnode: With 4 CPUs at 1.87GHz and 15.70GB of RAM.

Total capacity: 244 processors and over 500GB of RAM.

The project, submitted to Capes' "Pró-equipamentos" funding line for a total of R$175,000, was approved in late 2014. It involved collaboration from various individuals linked to graduate programs and the Information Technology Support Directorate (DSI/Unifei), ensuring the equipment was acquired and housed with the best possible cost-benefit ratio given the university's current infrastructure.

Please browse our website and access our resources, view our publications, meet the team or contact us.