[lammps-users] Tersoff - segmentation fault error

Hi Everyone,

I am having a few problems while using the SiC_Erhart-Albe.tersoff potential, and with other Tersoff potentials. The error messages are similar to those that came up recently for PRD package (which I'm not using):

[almac02:97071] *** Process received signal ***
[almac02:97071] Signal: Segmentation fault (11)
[almac02:97071] Signal code: Address not mapped (1)
[almac02:97071] Failing at address: 0x113f3c450
[almac02:97071] [ 0] 2 libSystem.B.dylib 0x00007fff8146e14a _sigtramp + 26
[almac02:97071] [ 1] 3 ??? 0x00000001017d1968 0x0 + 4319943016
[almac02:97071] [ 2] 4 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x000000010014cdf7 _ZN9LAMMPS_NS11PairTersoff7computeEii + 2821
[almac02:97071] [ 3] 5 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x0000000100180d99 _ZN9LAMMPS_NS6Verlet3runEi + 611
[almac02:97071] [ 4] 6 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x000000010016b61c _ZN9LAMMPS_NS3Run7commandEiPPc + 1716
[almac02:97071] [ 5] 7 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x00000001000d6380 _ZN9LAMMPS_NS5Input15execute_commandEv + 3956
[almac02:97071] [ 6] 8 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x00000001000d6e46 _ZN9LAMMPS_NS5Input4fileEv + 732
[almac02:97071] [ 7] 9 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x00000001000db22e main + 76
[almac02:97071] [ 8] 10 lmp_mac_15Feb10_m64 0x00000001000011ec start + 52
[almac02:97071] [ 9] 11 ??? 0x0000000000000001 0x0 + 1
[almac02:97071] *** End of error message ***

I am using the latest version of LAMMPS, but have tried a few different versions. It seems to be in part dependent on the cross-section of the simulation box as it fails for some but not for others e.g.

region box block 0 30 0 30 0 120 #will fail
region box block 0 29 0 29 0 120 #will work

We have also run into problems changing other parameters so we don't think it is a memory allocation issue.

Has anyone else run into this?

Regards,
Matt

Have you verified that your system is not blowing
up right before it crashes? E.g. print out thermo info
and dump files every timestep, right before and see
if the system is well-behaved. If it is, then please
post your input files for a small, simple-as-possible problem that fails
quickly, and I'll take a look.

Steve