Articles | Volume 15, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5127-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5127-2022
Development and technical paper
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05 Jul 2022
Development and technical paper | Highlight paper |  | 05 Jul 2022

Towards automatic finite-element methods for geodynamics via Firedrake

D. Rhodri Davies, Stephan C. Kramer, Sia Ghelichkhan, and Angus Gibson

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Executive editor
This paper introduces Firedrake, a new automatic system to generate code and solve partial differential equations using finite element methods. This capability is a core need of many models, and consequently a source of significant redundant software development effort. Because it does not prescribe a particular set of equations, the Firedrake software is applicable to a wide range of geoscientific models. Firedrake demonstrates remarkable computational efficiency, scaling beyond 12,000 computing cores. It is also free-libre open source software, contributing to improvements in scientific computational replicability and reproducibility.
Short summary
Firedrake is a state-of-the-art system that automatically generates highly optimised code for simulating finite-element (FE) problems in geophysical fluid dynamics. It creates a separation of concerns between employing the FE method and implementing it. Here, we demonstrate the applicability and benefits of Firedrake for simulating geodynamical flows, with a focus on the slow creeping motion of Earth's mantle over geological timescales, which is ultimately the engine driving our dynamic Earth.
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