In the framework of the educational activities of the PhD School in Earth System Sciences of Modena we announce:
The course will provide a basic introduction to basic principles to quantify and understand mantle and crustal flow and melting, and their applications to the dynamics of plumes, ridges, arcs, and parts of orogeny. Topics to be covered include:
(1) Basic solutions of viscous flow: Equations, Pipe Flow, Shear Flow, Rising Sphere
(2) 'Isostasy-like behavior in viscous flow'. Basic solutions for heat transport (diffusion, advection).
(3) Mantle energetics
(4) Plume upwelling and spreading of hotspot swell-roots
(5) Plume-related volcanism
(6) Ridges and Rifts, basic solutions and applications. Ridge Volcanism.
(7) Subduction zones, basic solutions and applications. Subduction diapirism. Arc volcanism.
(8) Dynamics and implications of a plume-fed asthenosphere mode of mantle convection (implications for plumes, ridges, and subduction zones).
(9) Lower crustal flow at arcs and the growth of plateaus; basic solutions and applications.
(10) Dynamics of the subduction channel.
This course will introduce current methods of solving geodynamic problems in flow, heat transport, and melting by hands-on exploration of a 2d finite element code. We will focus on making good use of 'black-box' codes -- showing how to test their limits, and gain insights into how well converged a given solution actually is. Each day will focus on a practical task using the code, with an afternoon lecture on the principles underlying this module of the code.
The topics to be covered include:
(0) Basic MATLAB programming (1st & 2nd days). Effective MATLAB vectorization and blocking techniques (4th and 5th days)
(1) Mesh generation (1 day) (The mesh generation problem is used to introduce the finite element method itself).
(2) Viscous flow (2-days). (2D). Practical examples will include crustal channel flow, and viscous flow in a subduction channel. These problems will be used to highlight possible resolution tests of a given numerical solution. Testing/verification against analytical solutions will also be discussed.
(3) Heat transport (1.5 days) (2D). Finite elements for Heat conduction, Lagrange (moving mesh), and Semi-Lagrange (backtracking) approaches to advective heat transport. Role of good interpolation in generating accurate Lagrange and Semi-Lagrange-based solutions. Comparison against the halfspace cooling solution for growing oceanic lithosphere. Also cooling of intrusions, and cooling during lower crustal flow.
(4) Melting (0.5 days)
The courses will be given by Prof. Jason Phipps Morgan (Cornell University, Ithaca, USA)
The school will be an advanced study program aimed at graduate students (doctoral level), post-doctoral fellows and young researchers.
The number of students is limited to 40 for the short course on geodynamics and 20 for the short course on computational geodynamics.
To apply, send an email to Francesca Remitti (francesca.remitti@unimore.it) that includes:
The application deadline is November 30, 2009.
Participation fee is 50€ for each course.
The organizing committee:
Francesca Remitti
Daniele Brunelli
Paola Vannucchi
