Multicore convergence problem


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I am trying to compute the DFT ground state of a dimer but it doesn't converge. However, if the calculation is done with a single core it converges just fine, but if i try with 2 or more cores (in the same node) there is a convergence problem:

1 core
      convergence    iter        energy       DeltaE   RMS-Dens  Diis-err    time
 ---------------- ----- ----------------- --------- --------- ---------  ------
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     1   -920.6521711415 -2.27D+03  6.46D-01  9.06D-01   402.9
                                                     6.46D-01  9.06D-01
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     2   -920.4743487333  1.78D-01  4.29D-01  1.35D+00   436.3
                                                     4.29D-01  1.35D+00
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     3   -921.0395555969 -5.65D-01  6.77D-02  2.96D-02   469.5
                                                     6.77D-02  2.96D-02
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     4   -921.0747901994 -3.52D-02  1.84D-02  1.01D-02   502.8
                                                     1.84D-02  1.01D-02
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     5   -921.0828538534 -8.06D-03  1.97D-01  5.74D-04   539.4
                                                     1.97D-01  5.74D-04
  Resetting Diis
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     6   -921.0838201050 -9.66D-04  4.55D-02  6.85D-05   576.0
                                                     4.55D-02  6.85D-05
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     7   -921.0839396400 -1.20D-04  1.43D-02  3.38D-05   612.4
                                                     1.43D-02  3.38D-05
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     8   -921.0839436451 -4.01D-06  1.68D-03  5.16D-05   648.7
                                                     1.68D-03  5.16D-05
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     9   -921.0839696838 -2.60D-05  6.67D-04  3.40D-07   685.1
                                                     6.67D-04  3.40D-07
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    10   -921.0839711474 -1.46D-06  1.80D-04  1.28D-07   721.5
                                                     1.80D-04  1.28D-07
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    11   -921.0839713812 -2.34D-07  8.40D-06  8.40D-09   757.8
                                                     8.40D-06  8.40D-09
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    12   -921.0839714117 -3.05D-08  2.38D-05  3.94D-09   794.1
                                                     2.38D-05  3.94D-09
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    13   -921.0839714180 -6.37D-09  4.95D-06  1.27D-10   830.6
                                                     4.95D-06  1.27D-10
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    14   -921.0839714188 -7.81D-10  7.59D-07  3.18D-11   866.9
                                                     7.59D-07  3.18D-11
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    15   -921.0839714189 -1.14D-10  4.11D-07  3.32D-12   903.1
                                                     4.11D-07  3.32D-12
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    16   -921.0839714190 -2.32D-11  1.84D-07  9.01D-13   939.5
                                                     1.84D-07  9.01D-13
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    17   -921.0839714190 -6.37D-12  9.46D-08  9.65D-14   975.8
                                                     9.51D-08  9.65D-14
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    18   -921.0839714190  1.82D-12  2.78D-08  3.39D-14  1012.1
                                                     2.83D-08  3.39D-14
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis    19   -921.0839714190 -6.82D-12  3.29D-09  1.67D-14  1048.3
                                                     3.69D-09  1.67D-14

6 cores
   convergence    iter        energy       DeltaE   RMS-Dens  Diis-err    time
 ---------------- ----- ----------------- --------- --------- ---------  ------
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     1   -920.6521728406 -2.27D+03  1.24D+03  9.06D-01    69.4
                                                     1.24D+03  9.06D-01
 Grid integrated density:     136.000498367341
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     2   -918.8821729795  1.77D+00  2.11D+02  5.54D+01    77.2
                                                     2.11D+02  5.54D+01
 Grid integrated density:     136.000515037203
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     3   -921.2404563648 -2.36D+00  1.96D+01  7.60D+01    85.0
                                                     1.96D+01  7.60D+01
 Grid integrated density:     136.000524879525
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.0,diis     4   -921.5097663650 -2.69D-01  6.97D+01  7.65D+01    92.7
                                                     6.97D+01  7.65D+01
 Grid integrated density:     136.000498019282
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.5,diis     5   -923.3994279259 -1.89D+00  3.41D+01  7.00D+01   100.5
                                                     3.42D+01  7.00D+01
...
 Grid integrated density:     135.999036053233
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.5,diis   999  -1072.1467435107  1.09D-04  7.15D-03  7.19D-07  8508.4
                                                     9.01D-03  6.78D-07
 Grid integrated density:     135.999035868138
 Requested integration accuracy:   0.10E-06
 d=10,ls=0.5,diis  1000  -1072.1463867324  3.57D-04  1.18D-03  1.62D-06  8516.9
                                                     6.75D-04  7.39D-07



I have noticed that RMS-Dens in the first iteration differs by at least 3 orders of magnitude; i am not sure if this is important or relevant though.

I am running Ubuntu 16.04 and have tried both the NWChem 6.6 version from the repositories, as well as an Intel compiled version by me and this convergence issue persists. What might be the problem and what could be done to solve it?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.