Simulating Three-Dimensional Free Surface Viscoelastic Flows using Moving Finite Difference Schemes

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubo Zhang and Tao Tang
2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaw Kyei ◽  
John Paul Roop ◽  
Guoqing Tang

We derive a family of sixth-order compact finite-difference schemes for the three-dimensional Poisson's equation. As opposed to other research regarding higher-order compact difference schemes, our approach includes consideration of the discretization of the source function on a compact finite-difference stencil. The schemes derived approximate the solution to Poisson's equation on a compact stencil, and thus the schemes can be easily implemented and resulting linear systems are solved in a high-performance computing environment. The resulting discretization is a one-parameter family of finite-difference schemes which may be further optimized for accuracy and stability. Computational experiments are implemented which illustrate the theoretically demonstrated truncation errors.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Tackley

<p>In order to treat a free surface in models of lithosphere and mantle dynamics that use a fixed Eulerian grid it is typical to use "sticky air", a layer of low-viscosity, low-density material above the solid surface (e.g. Crameri et al., 2012). This can, however, cause numerical problems, including poor solver convergence due to the huge viscosity jump and small time-steps due to high velocities in the air. Additionally, it is not completely realistic because the assumed viscosity of the air layer is typically similar to that of rock in the asthenosphere so the surface is not stress free.  </p><p>In order to overcome these problems, Duretz et al. (2016) introduced and tested a method for treating the free surface that instead detects and applies special conditions at the free surface. This avoids the huge viscosity jump and having to solve for velocities in the air. They applied it to a two-dimensional staggered grid finite difference / finite volume scheme, a discretization that is in common use for modelling mantle and lithosphere dynamics. Here I document the application of this approach to a three-dimensional spherical staggered grid solver in the mantle simulation code StagYY. Some adjustments had to be made to the two-dimensional scheme documented in Duretz et al. (2016) in order to avoid problems due to undefined velocities for certain boundary topographies. The approach was applied not only to the Stokes solver but also to the temperature solver, including the implementation of a mixed radiative/conductive boundary condition applicable to surface magma oceans/lakes.</p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p>Crameri, F., H. Schmeling, G. J. Golabek, T. Duretz, R. Orendt, S. J. H. Buiter, D. A. May, B. J. P. Kaus, T. V. Gerya, and P. J. Tackley (2012), A comparison of numerical surface topography calculations in geodynamic modelling: an evaluation of the ‘sticky air’ method, Geophysical Journal International,189(1), 38-54, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2012.05388.x.</p><p>Duretz, T., D. A. May, and P. Yamato (2016), A free surface capturing discretization for the staggered grid finite difference scheme, Geophysical Journal International, 204(3), 1518-1530, doi:10.1093/gji/ggv526.</p>


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