Geodynamics 101

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

Wouter Schellart and edited by Nuno Rodrigues October 16, 2024

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]

Ice Ice Baby! Modelling the thermal evolution within the ice shell of Ganymede, Jupiter’s moon.

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda August 7, 2024

Thermal convection within the outer ice shell of Ganymede. Credit: Katherine Villavicencio.

Ganymede, one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter and the largest in the Solar System, has caught the scientists’ attention due to its potential for hosting life. The JUICE mission, launched from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on 14 April 2023, is on its way to orbit and conduct experiments on the Galilean moons (Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto), with particular emphasis on characterizing G ...[Read More]

Linking the Earth’s Engine and Landscape Formation and Evolution

Rafael Monteiro da Silva and edited by Jamison Assunção May 8, 2024

Image made using DALL·E 2

The Earth’s internal engine drives several geodynamic processes such as continental rifting and dynamic topography, shaping mesmerizing landscapes. Through numerical modeling, insights into formations like the Continental Rift of Southeastern Brazil deepen our appreciation of Earth’s dynamic nature and the forces sculpting its surface. The heat engine beneath our feet Not so long ago, ...[Read More]

Exploring rheology of Earth’s materials: The marvels of high-temperature high-pressure deformation experiments

Subhajit Ghosh and edited by Giridas Maiti May 1, 2024

[Mylonitization in quartz rich rocks from Himalayan shear zone, from Ghosh et al., 2023]

The Earth, with its towering mountains, shifting tectonic plates, and dynamic geological processes, has always been a subject of fascination and inquiry for scientists. Amidst the vast array of scientific disciplines, one relatively small yet impactful field, known as experimental rock deformation, plays a crucial role in unraveling the mysteries hidden beneath the Earth’s surface. Though th ...[Read More]