Expressions Overview

Expressions are a powerful analysis tool that can both answer questions about mesh data and calculate derived quantities. Ascent uses a python-like domain specific language (DSL) to execute generic computations. Broadly speaking, the expressions system allows users to mix and match two types of computation:

  • Queries: data summarization (e.g a max reduction via max(field('energy')))

  • Derived Fields (e.g. field('energy') + 1)

Queries

Queries are expressions that perform some sort of data reduction from problem sized data. The results of queries can be single values, such as the maximum value of a field, or could be multi-valued, such as a histogram.

Queries are executed via an action with two parameters: an expression and a name. Below is an example of a simple query.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "cycle()"
        name: "my_cycle"

In the above example, we are asking about the state of the simulation, but A more useful query will ask questions of the mesh or variables on the mesh. A common query is to find the maximum value of field over time.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "max(field('density'))"
        name: "max_density"

Combining Queries

Queries are executed in the same order they are declared, and since the result of each query stored, each query can be thought of as an assignment statement in a program, with one query building on the previous queries.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "1+1"
        name: "two"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "two + 1"
        name: "result"

In the above example, q1 is evaluated and the result is stored in the identifier two. In q2, the identifier is referenced and the expression evaluates to 3.

Query Results

Every time a query is executed the results are stored and can be accessed in three ways:

  • Inside expressions: values can be referenced by name by other expressions

  • Inside the simulation: query results can be programmatically accessed

  • As a post process: results are stored inside a file called ascent_session.yaml

The session file provides a way to access and plot the results of queries. Session files are commonly processed by python scripts. Here is an example of a single time step of the max query:

max_density:
  10:
    type: "value_position"
    attrs:
      value:
        value: 1.99993896548026
        type: "double"
      position:
        value: [4.921875, 4.921875, 10.078125]
        type: "vector"
      element:
        rank: 4
        domain_index: 4
        index: 285284
        assoc: "element"
    time: 0.313751488924026

Query results are index by name and then cycle. Additionally, the simulation time for each query is always available. In this example, the max query returns both the value and position of the element containing the maximum value.

Query History

Since the results of queries are stored, we can access values from previous executions. The history function allows expressions to have a temporal component, which is a powerful tool when tracking simulation state and adaptively responding to user defined events. The history function can be called on any existing query.

The history of a query can be indexed in two ways:

  • relative_index: a positive value that indicates how far back in history to access. If the index exceeds the current history, the value is clamped to the last index. An index of 0 is equivalent to the current time value and an index of 1 is the value of the identifier on the last execution.

  • absolute_index: the index of the value to access. 0 is the first query result.

Here is an example of a use case for the history function:

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        # get the maximum value of a field
        expression: "max(field('pressure'))"
        name: "max_pressure"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "max_pressure - history(max_pressure, relative_index = 1)
        > 100"
        name: "result"

In the above example, q2 will evaluate to true if the maximum value of pressure jumps over 100 units since the last in invocation, possibly indicating that an interesting event inside the simulation occurred.

Derived Fields

Derived fields allow users to create new fields on the mesh as a result of some arbitrary computation. A simple example of a derived field is calculating mass based on cell volume and density, when mass is not directly available. Once created, the new field can be manipulated via filters or plotted

Derived expressions are just-in-time(JIT) compiled at runtime. That is, code is generated on the fly and the compiler is invoked during to create the binary code that is executed. While this can be expensive the first time the expression is run, the binary is cached and the cost is amortized over the entire simulation run. Additionally, the binary is cached in Ascent’s default directory (which defaults to the current working directory), so the compile time cost can also be amortized over multiple simulation invocations. Supported backends include serial, OpenMP, and CUDA.

Derived generation is triggered by using either the field function used in conjunction with math operations or the topo function. The expressions filter provides a way to create a derived field that is mapped back onto the mesh. Since derived fields transform data, expressions filters are part of pipeline in Ascent. Here is an example of creating a simple derived field on the mesh:

-
  action: "add_pipelines"
  pipelines:
    pl1:
      f1:
        type: "expression"
        params:
          expression: "field('density') + 1"
          name: "density_plus_1"

Subsequent pipeline filters will have access the the variable density_plus_1.

The topo function allows users to access information about the mesh topologies. There are several topological attributes accessible through the topo function including area (if 2d) and volume (if 3d). Here is an example of creating a new field on the mesh that has the volume of each cell:

-
  action: "add_pipelines"
  pipelines:
    pl1:
      f1:
        type: "expression"
        params:
          expression: "topo('mesh').cell.volume"
          name: "cell_volume"

Using both fields and topological information inside a derived field can help calculate quantities such as mass:

-
  action: "add_pipelines"
  pipelines:
    pl1:
      f1:
        type: "expression"
        params:
          expression: "topo('mesh').cell.volume * field('density')"
          name: "mass"

Combining Queries and Derived Fields

Queries and derived fields can be used together. For example, if we want to keep track of the total mesh volume over time

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "sum(topo('mesh').cell.volume)"
        name: "total_volume"

In queries, the only restriction is that the result must be a single value or object (i.e., a data reduction) so it can be stored for access. However, there is no restriction on the results of expressions filters and they can be either derived fields or queries.

Queries on Pipeline Results

Normally, queries execute on the mesh published to Ascent by the simulation, but queries can also consume the results of pipelines. The example below demonstrates the use of an expression to find the total area of a contour mesh which is output by a pipeline.

-
  action: "add_pipelines"
  pipelines:
    pl1:
      f1:
        type: "contour"
        params:
          field: "energy"
          levels: 3
-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      pipeline: "pl1"
      params:
        expression: "sum(topo('mesh').cell.area)"
        name: "total_iso_area"

Queries like the one above will act on the data published to Ascent. Queries are also capable of acting on the results of pipelines.

Using Queries in Filter Parameters

When running in situ, its often the case that you know what you are interested in (e.g., I want to see the top 10% of density), but not know exactly what the value range is. To help with that, Ascent can use expressions within filter parameters. The following example creates an isovolume of the top 10% of density.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "max(field('density')).value"
        name: "max_density"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "max_density - min(field('density')).value"
        name: "d_length"
-
  action: "add_pipelines"
  pipelines:
    pl1:
      f1:
        type: "isovolume"
        params:
          field: "density"
          min_value: "max_density - 0.1 * d_length"
          max_value: "max_density"

Note: not all filter parameters support using expressions.

Derived Fields

Derived field expressions can be used to create new fields on the mesh.

Functions, Objects, and Binary Operations are all capable of returning derived fields.

The language’s type system will determine when an expression needs to generate a derived field for a Binary Operation. For example, if the expression is field('density') + 1 the language will see that a scalar value is being added to a field so the result must be a derived field where 1 is added to each element of field('density').

Certain functions and object attributes will also generate derived fields. The return type of such functions (in Expression Functions) and objects (in ExpresssionsObjects) is jitable. For example, there is an overload of the max function with a return type of jitable which can be used to take the maximum of two fields via max(field('energy1'), field('energy2')).

Note

For an expression like max(field('energy1'), field('energy2')) to work, the fields field('energy1') and field('energy2') must have the same number of elements.

Objects such as the topo object have attributes of type jitable which will also generate derived fields. For example, a field of cell volumes for a certain topology can be generated via topo('mesh').cell.volume.

Derived fields or jitable types can be used in place of a regular field. For example, we can combine a derived field and a reduction by writing sum(topo('mesh').cell.volume) to find the total volume of the mesh.

The if-then-else construct can also be used to generate derived fields when one or more its operands (i.e. condition, if-branch, else-branch) are fields. If we wanted to zero-out energy values below a certain threshold we can write if(field('energy') < 10) then 0 else field('energy').

Expressions that output a derived field will result in a mesh field with the same name as the expression (see more about names below) which can be retrieved in later expressions via field('name').

Note

For performance reasons, derived expressions dealing with vectors should prefer using field('velocity', 'x') over field('velocity').x to get a component. Using .x will be necessary in the case that the field is a derived field. See the Curl Example.

Function Examples

  • cycle(): returns the current simulation cycle

  • field('braid'): returns a field object for the simulation field specified

  • histogram(field("braid"), num_bins=128): returns a histogram of the braid field

  • entropy(histogram(field("braid"), num_bins=128)): returns the entropy of the histogram of the braid field

  • curl(field('velocity')): generates a derived vector field which is the curl of the velocity field (i.e. the vorticity)

  • curl(field('velocity')): generates a derived vector field which is the curl of the velocity field (i.e. the vorticity)

Assignments

As expressions start to become more complex the user may wish to store certain temporary values. The language allows the use of 0 or more assignments preceding the final expression.

Here is an expression which takes advantage of assignments to calculate the curl (which is also a builtin function) using the gradient.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
     params:
       expression: |
               du = gradient(field('velocity', 'u'))
               dv = gradient(field('velocity', 'v'))
               dw = gradient(field('velocity', 'w'))
               w_x = dw.y - dv.z
               w_y = du.z - dw.x
               w_z = dv.x - du.y
               vector(w_x, w_y, w_z)
       name: "velocity_vorticity"

The assignments and the final expression must be separated by newlines or semicolons or both. The above example shows newline separation using multi-line strings in YAML. Backslashes (\) may be used at the end of a line to split up long lines. Lines can also be split without the need for a backslash if there are unclosed parenthesis or brackets.

When resolving identifiers, the language will give precedence to identifiers defined in the same expression (as shown in this example) before falling back to the names of previously defined expressions (see below).

The Name

The result of the expression is stored internally and can be accessed in two ways.

  • Through the ascent.Info(info_node) call. This can be used as a way to feed information back the simulation.

  • As an identifier in a subsequent expression.

Combining Queries

Queries are executed in the same order they are declared, and since the result of each query stored, each query can be thought of as an assignment statement in a program, with one query building on the previous queries.

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "1+1"
        name: "two"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "two + 1"
        name: "result"

In the above example, q1 is evaluated and the result is stored in the identifier two. In q2, the identifier is referenced and the expression evaluates to 3.

Query History

Since the results of queries are stored, we can access values from previous executions. The history function allows expressions to have a temporal component, which is a powerful tool when tracking simulation state and adaptively responding to user defined events. The history function can be called on any existing query.

The history of a query can be indexed in two ways:

  • relative_index: a positive value that indicates how far back in history to access. If the index exceeds the current history, the value is clamped to the last index. An index of 0 is equivalent to the current time value and an index of 1 is the value of the identifier on the last execution.

  • absolute_index: the index of the value to access. 0 is the first query result.

Here is an example of a use case for the history function:

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        # get the maximum value of a field
        expression: "max(field('pressure'))"
        name: "max_pressure"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "max_pressure - history(max_pressure, relative_index = 1)
        > 100"
        name: "result"

In the above example, q2 will evaluate to true if the maximum value of pressure jumps over 100 units since the last in invocation, possibly indicating that an interesting event inside the simulation occurred.

Session File

Ascent saves the results of all queries into a file called ascent_session.yaml when the simulation exits. This file is convenient for creating plotting scripts that consume the results of queries. The session file is capable of surviving simulation restarts, and it will continue adding to the file from the last time. If the restart occurs at a cycle in the past (i.e., if the session was saved at cycle 200 and the simulation was restarted at cycle 150), all newer entries will be removed.

Default Session Name

The default session file name is ascent_session, and you can change the session file name with an entry in the ascent_options.yaml file.

session_name : my_session_name

If the simulation crashes, there is no promise that the session file will successfully written out, so Ascent provides an explicit action to save the session file. Its important to note that this involves IO, so its a good idea to only use this actions periodically.

Save Session Action

If the simulation crashes, there is no promise that the session file will successfully written out, so Ascent provides an explicit action to save the session file. Its important to note that this involves IO, so its a good idea to only use this actions periodically. The save session action always executes after all other actions have finished.

-
  action: "save_session"

Additionally, you can explicitly override the default session name by using the file_name parameter:

-
  action: "save_session"
  file_name: "saved_by_name_with_selection"

Finally, you can save only a subset of the expressions using a list:

-
  action: "add_queries"
  queries:
    q1:
      params:
        expression: "max(field('p'))"
        name: "max_pressure"
    q2:
      params:
        expression: "10 + 1"
        name: "garbage"
-
  action: "save_session"
  file_name: "saved_by_name_with_selection"
  expression_list:
    - max_pressure

In this example, there are two queries. The save session action specifies that only the max_pressure expression should be saved inside the file named saved_by_name_with_selection. .. code-block:: yaml

  • action: “save_session”