Random number generators with inherent parallel properties

Abstract

By incorporating the spatial variable into a one-dimensional array of numbers, it is possible to generalize the well-known linear congruential random-number generator (LCG) to the spatially coupled random-number generator (SCG) given by X/sub i/(t+1)=f((X/sub i/(t))) (mod m) where i=1, 2, . . ., n can be regarded as spatial sites and f is a function of (X/sub i/) that denotes a set containing X/sub i/ and its neighbors. It was found that SCGs in general possess a very long period. Statistical and spectral tests on these SCGs show that they are excellent pseudorandom-number generators. The SCGs also have inherent parallel properties and are particularly efficient when implemented on parallel machines.<>