ROW: A Finite Element Study of Mantle Plumes

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With recent advances in computing power and improved algorithms, it is now possible to model detailed features of solid- state convection in the Earth's mantle. The proposed project consists of s study of several aspects of upwelling thermal plumes in the mantle. A fully-vectorized, production finite-element code has been developed to model convection in a spherical, axisymmetric shell. Part of this project involves participating in an extensive benchmark of numerical models of mantle convection in spherical shells. The code will also be further developed to model the evolution of the core-mantle boundary and its effect on mantle plumes. In addition, the effects of temperature-dependent rheology and sphericity on the structure of thermal plumes in a spherical shell will be studied.