Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-1899-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-1899-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Methods for assessment of models
| 
09 Apr 2021
Methods for assessment of models |
| 09 Apr 2021
| 09 Apr 2021
Analytical solutions for mantle flow in cylindrical and spherical shells
Stephan C. Kramer
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
D. Rhodri Davies
Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Cian R. Wilson
Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC, USA
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We use 2D numerical models to highlight the role of basal drag in subduction force balance. We show that basal drag can significantly affect velocities and evolution in our simulations and suggest an explanation as to why there are no trends in plate velocities with age in the Cenozoic subduction record (which we extracted from recent reconstruction using GPlates). The insights into the role of basal drag will help set up global models of plate dynamics or specific regional subduction models.
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Short summary
Computational models of Earth's mantle require rigorous verification and validation. Analytical solutions of the underlying Stokes equations provide a method to verify that these equations are accurately solved for. However, their derivation in spherical and cylindrical shell domains with physically relevant boundary conditions is involved. This paper provides a number of solutions. They are provided in a Python package (Assess) and their use is demonstrated in a convergence study with Fluidity.
Computational models of Earth's mantle require rigorous verification and validation. Analytical...
