Runtime support for data parallel tasks

We have recently introduced a set of Fortran language extensions that allow for integrated support of task and data parallelism, and provide for shared data abstractions (SDA's) as a method for communications and synchronization among these tasks. In this paper we discuss the design and implementation issues of the runtime system necessary to support these extensions, and discuss the underlying requirements for such a system. To test the feasibility of this approach, we implement a prototype of the runtime system and use this to support an abstract multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) problem for aircraft design. We give initial results and discuss future plans.