GD
Geodynamics

edited by Nuno Rodrigues

Nuno Rodrigues is a PhD student in the Department of Geology at the University of Lisbon and is associated with the Solid Earth Dynamics research group at Instituto Dom Luiz. His work focuses on numerical modelling of collisional systems, but all research fields within geodynamics are of interest to him.

Simulating the Deep Earth with MAGEMin: A Toolkit for Thermodynamic Modeling in Geodynamics

and July 23, 2025
Simulating the Deep Earth with MAGEMin: A Toolkit for Thermodynamic Modeling in Geodynamics

Understanding how rocks melt, deform, and evolve within Earth’s interior is a central challenge in geoscience. These processes span a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and are governed by complex interactions between temperature, pressure, composition, and phase stability. Capturing this complexity in numerical models requires integrating mineral thermodynamics directly into geodynamic mod ...[Read More]

How numerical modeling helps decipher the dynamics and evolution of Venus

, and January 22, 2025
How numerical modeling helps decipher the dynamics and evolution of Venus

Earth’s sister, Venus, is a planet whose evolution is drastically different from our own. Unravelling the hidden mysteries behind the divergent evolution of these two planets could hold the key to understanding what makes a planet habitable. Using numerical modelling, Diogo Lourenço and Cédric Gillmann unveil the dynamics of Venus while linking them to observations. In today’s blog pos ...[Read More]

Coexisting Forces in Geodynamic Modelling: Pros, Cons, and Synergies of Analogue and Numerical Modelling

and October 16, 2024
Coexisting Forces in Geodynamic Modelling: Pros, Cons, and Synergies of Analogue and Numerical Modelling
3D mantle flow imaged using the stereoscopic PIV technique in analogue models of slab rollover subduction (a, b) and slab rollback subduction (c, d). Adapted from Strak, Xue & Schellart (2024).

Geodynamic modelling helps us understand Earth’s internal processes by providing a framework to test hypotheses. Analogue modelling uses physical models governed by the laws of nature, with resolution down to Planck’s length. In contrast, numerical modelling employs mathematical methods to approximate solutions to the physical laws governing Earth’s processes. Each modelling approach comes with it ...[Read More]