The research focus of SIO's CRD is climate variability on time scales of weeks to decades.
Data sets are complex and multidimensional.
CRD has been using PCs in its research efforts for several years. The power, speed, and flexibility of the hardware have increased to the point that it is difficult to distinguish our PCs from UNIX workstations. Much of the work now done at CRD has been enhanced with the introduction of high-end PCs. Computing on these machines is easier than on UNIX workstations because of the PC's superior capability, per dollar, in both hardware and software, in addition to the greater variety of commercial software available. Only governmental computing installations seem to have enough disk space and CPU power to manipulate this data affordably.