Articles | Volume 19, issue 18
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-8839-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-8839-2026
Development and technical paper
 | 
21 Sep 2026
Development and technical paper |  | 21 Sep 2026

Variational Stokes method applied to free surface boundaries in numerical geodynamical models using the staggered-grid finite-difference discretisation

Timothy S. Gray, Paul J. Tackley, and Taras V. Gerya

Data sets

Software accompanying manuscript "Variational Stokes method applied to free surface boundaries in numerical geodynamic models" Timothy Gray https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17956246

Model code and software

StagYYFreeSurface (StagYYFS): A testbed for free- surface methods in geodynamical simulations using the finite volume (staggered-grid finite difference) discretization Paul Tackley and Timothy Gray https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18096249

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Short summary
We developed a new way to model how planetary surfaces rise and sink as the deep interior slowly flows. Existing approaches are either costly or unstable. Our method represents the surface smoothly within a fixed grid, which avoids artificial air layers and numerical problems. Tests show it matches established results while running faster and working in more realistic settings, such as loaded surfaces and global models. This makes simulations of surface evolution more reliable and accessible.
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