Ab Initio Interactive Molecular Dynamics on Graphical Processing Units (GPUs)

A virtual molecular modeling kit is developed based on GPU-enabled interactive ab initio molecular dynamics (MD). The code uses the TeraChem and VMD programs with a modified IMD interface. Optimization of the GPU accelerated TeraChem program specifically for small molecular systems is discussed, and a robust multiple time step integrator is employed to accurately integrate strong user-supplied pulling forces. Smooth and responsive visualization techniques are developed to allow interactive manipulation at minimum simulation rates below five MD steps per second. Representative calculations at the Hartree–Fock level of theory are demonstrated for molecular systems containing up to a few dozen atoms.