SRBase: Difference between revisions
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| category = Mathematics / Number Theory | | category = Mathematics / Number Theory | ||
| compute = CPU & GPU | | compute = CPU & GPU | ||
| developer = rebirther | | developer = rebirther | ||
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| sponsor = [[wikipedia:Conjectures 'R Us|Conjectures 'R Us]] (CRUS), [[wikipedia:Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search|GIMPS]] | | sponsor = [[wikipedia:Conjectures 'R Us|Conjectures 'R Us]] (CRUS), [[wikipedia:Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search|GIMPS]] | ||
| maintainer = rebirther | | maintainer = rebirther | ||
| released = | | released = {{Start date and age|2013|01|02}} | ||
| programming language = C, C++ | | programming language = C, C++ | ||
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| license = BOINC Confederation | | license = BOINC Confederation | ||
}} | }} | ||
[https://srbase.my-firewall.org/sr5/ '''''SRBase'''''] is a [[wikipedia:BOINC|BOINC]]-based '''''[[wikipedia:Volunteer computing|volunteer computing]]''''' project focused on mathematical research in [[wikipedia:number theory|number theory]]. It enlists the spare processing power of volunteers' computers around the world to prove the generalized [[wikipedia:Sierpinski number|Sierpinski]] and [[wikipedia:Riesel number|Riesel]] conjectures for all integer bases <math>b \leq 1030</math>, working on cases not currently addressed by other distributed computing efforts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://srbase.my-firewall.org/sr5/ |title=SRBase |publisher=BOINC Confederation / rebirther |access-date=2026-05-23}}</ref> | [https://srbase.my-firewall.org/sr5/ '''''SRBase'''''] is a [[wikipedia:BOINC|BOINC]]-based '''''[[wikipedia:Volunteer computing|volunteer computing]]''''' project focused on mathematical research in [[wikipedia:number theory|number theory]]. It enlists the spare processing power of volunteers' computers around the world to prove the generalized [[wikipedia:Sierpinski number|Sierpinski]] and [[wikipedia:Riesel number|Riesel]] conjectures for all integer bases <math>b \leq 1030</math>, working on cases not currently addressed by other distributed computing efforts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://srbase.my-firewall.org/sr5/ |title=SRBase |publisher=BOINC Confederation / rebirther |access-date=2026-05-23}}</ref> | ||
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=== The Sierpinski conjecture === | === The Sierpinski conjecture === | ||
[[File:Wacław Sierpiński.jpg|thumb|Wacław Sierpiński (1882–1969), the Polish mathematician who proved the existence of infinitely many Sierpiński numbers in 1960.]] | [[File:Wacław Sierpiński.jpg|thumb|Wacław Sierpiński. (1882–1969), the Polish mathematician who proved the existence of infinitely many Sierpiński numbers in 1960.]] | ||
In [[wikipedia:number theory|number theory]], a Sierpiński number is an odd natural number <math>k</math> such that <math>k \times 2^n + 1</math> is [[wikipedia:composite number|composite]] for all natural numbers <math>n</math>. In 1960, [[wikipedia:Wacław Sierpiński|Wacław Sierpiński]] proved that there are infinitely many odd integers <math>k</math> which have this property. In other words, for a Sierpiński number <math>k</math>, no matter what positive integer is substituted for <math>n</math>, the result is always a composite (non-prime) number. "There's no obvious reason why they should exist," as mathematician Chris Caldwell has noted; for most values of <math>k</math>, primes appear quite regularly in the sequence <math>k \cdot 2^n + 1</math>. | In [[wikipedia:number theory|number theory]], a Sierpiński number is an odd natural number <math>k</math> such that <math>k \times 2^n + 1</math> is [[wikipedia:composite number|composite]] for all natural numbers <math>n</math>. In 1960, [[wikipedia:Wacław Sierpiński|Wacław Sierpiński]] proved that there are infinitely many odd integers <math>k</math> which have this property. In other words, for a Sierpiński number <math>k</math>, no matter what positive integer is substituted for <math>n</math>, the result is always a composite (non-prime) number. "There's no obvious reason why they should exist," as mathematician Chris Caldwell has noted; for most values of <math>k</math>, primes appear quite regularly in the sequence <math>k \cdot 2^n + 1</math>. | ||
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== History == | == History == | ||
SRBase was launched in 2014, as indicated by its copyright notice "© 2014–2026 BOINC Confederation / rebirther." It is administered by a volunteer known by the handle '''rebirther''', who runs the project server on a private computer inside a [[wikipedia:virtual machine|virtual machine]] — famously rumored to reside in a closet. | SRBase was launched in 2014, as indicated by its copyright notice "© 2014–2026 BOINC Confederation / rebirther." It is administered by a volunteer known by the handle '''rebirther''', who runs the project server on a private computer inside a [[wikipedia:virtual machine|virtual machine]] — famously rumored to reside in a closet. | ||
The project has maintained a steady annual review of its progress since its founding. Over its first nine years, 28 bases were proven, with the number of unstarted bases declining from 314 in 2014–2015 to 69 by 2022–2023. The following table summarizes yearly progress through 2023:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@alex40964096/boinc-project-srbase-7c7bde38ae54 |title=Boinc Project: SRBase |publisher=Medium |access-date=2026-05-23}}</ref> | The project has maintained a steady annual review of its progress since its founding. Over its first nine years, 28 bases were proven, with the number of unstarted bases declining from 314 in 2014–2015 to 69 by 2022–2023. The following table summarizes yearly progress through 2023:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@alex40964096/boinc-project-srbase-7c7bde38ae54 |title=Boinc Project: SRBase |publisher=Medium |access-date=2026-05-23}}</ref> | ||
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=== Applications === | === Applications === | ||
SRBase distributes computational work to volunteers via the [[wikipedia:Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing|BOINC]] client. The core computation involves [[wikipedia:primality test|primality testing]] of candidate numbers of the forms <math>k \cdot b^n \pm 1</math>. The project has migrated from the LLR2 application to PRST (a similar application already used at [[wikipedia:PrimeGrid|PrimeGrid]]), which was intended to replace LLR2 and brings performance improvements and better hardware support. Recent application milestones include updating to PRST v10, multi-GPU sieving, and support for [[wikipedia:Intel Arc|Intel Arc]] GPUs. | SRBase distributes computational work to volunteers via the [[wikipedia:Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing|BOINC]] client. The core computation involves [[wikipedia:primality test|primality testing]] of candidate numbers of the forms <math>k \cdot b^n \pm 1</math>. The project has migrated from the LLR2 application to PRST (a similar application already used at [[wikipedia:PrimeGrid|PrimeGrid]]), which was intended to replace LLR2 and brings performance improvements and better hardware support. Recent application milestones include updating to PRST v10, multi-GPU sieving, and support for [[wikipedia:Intel Arc|Intel Arc]] GPUs. | ||
Both CPU and GPU work units are available. The PRST application supports modern instruction sets including [[wikipedia:AVX-512|AVX-512]] for compatible processors, allowing significantly faster computations on modern hardware. | Both CPU and GPU work units are available. The PRST application supports modern instruction sets including [[wikipedia:AVX-512|AVX-512]] for compatible processors, allowing significantly faster computations on modern hardware. | ||
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=== Infrastructure === | === Infrastructure === | ||
The project server is hosted on a private machine running inside a virtual machine. This unconventional setup has become a point of gentle pride within the volunteer computing community. | The project server is hosted on a private machine running inside a virtual machine. This unconventional setup has become a point of gentle pride within the volunteer computing community. Work reservation and preparation are coordinated via the [[wikipedia:Mersenne Forum|Mersenne Forum]] at [http://www.mersenneforum.org/forumdisplay.php?f=81 mersenneforum.org], where users reserve bases to avoid duplicate effort. Results processing and prime removal from sieve files are handled using the <code>srfile</code> application. | ||
== Collaborations == | == Collaborations == | ||
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=== Proven bases and conjecture progress === | === Proven bases and conjecture progress === | ||
As of early 2021, SRBase had reported 400 of 1,031 Riesel bases proven and 390 of 1,032 Sierpiński bases proven, with 112 bases still unstarted. | As of early 2021, SRBase had reported 400 of 1,031 Riesel bases proven and 390 of 1,032 Sierpiński bases proven, with 112 bases still unstarted. Progress statistics are maintained by the CRUS project at [http://www.noprimeleftbehind.net/crus/ noprimeleftbehind.net]. | ||
* [http://www.noprimeleftbehind.net/crus/vstats_new/crus-stats.htm Overall CRUS statistics] | * [http://www.noprimeleftbehind.net/crus/vstats_new/crus-stats.htm Overall CRUS statistics] | ||