A benchmark study on mantle convection in a 3-D spherical shell using CitcomS

Abstract

As high-performance computing facilities and sophisticated modeling software become available, modeling mantle convection in a three-dimensional (3-D) spherical shell geometry with realistic physical parameters and processes becomes increasingly feasible. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive benchmark studies for 3-D spherical mantle convection. Here we present benchmark and test calculations using a finite element code CitcomS for 3-D spherical convection. Two classes of model calculations are presented: the Stokes' flow and thermal and thermochemical convection. For Stokes' flow, response functions of characteristic flow velocity, topography, and geoid at the surface and core-ma..