Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1543
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1543
09 Apr 2025
 | 09 Apr 2025

On stabilisation of compositional density jumps in compressible mantle convection simulations

Paul J. Tackley

Abstract. Large density jumps in numerical simulations of solid Earth dynamics can cause numerical "drunken sailor" oscillations. An implicit method has previously been shown to be very effective in stabilising the density jump that occurs at a free surface against such instabilities (Kaus et al., 2010; Duretz et al., 2011). Here the use of this to prevent oscillations of compositional layers deeper in the mantle is examined. If the stabilisation algorithm uses the total density field including the steady increase of density with depth due to adiabatic compression and jumps due to phase transitions then a severe artificial reduction of convective vigour occurs because the algorithm assumes that density is advected with the flow but these density gradients are not. This artificial vigour reduction increases with Rayleigh number but decreases with decreasing grid spacing. Thus, it is essential to use only composition-related density gradients in the stabilisation algorithm, and a simple method for isolating these is presented. Once this is done, the stabilisation method works effectively for internal compositional layers as well as a free surface.

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Paul J. Tackley

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1543', Mingming Li, 27 Jun 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Paul Tackley, 27 Jun 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1543', Boris Kaus, 18 Aug 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Paul Tackley, 18 Aug 2025

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1543', Mingming Li, 27 Jun 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Paul Tackley, 27 Jun 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1543', Boris Kaus, 18 Aug 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Paul Tackley, 18 Aug 2025
Paul J. Tackley

Model code and software

Software for manuscript "On stabilisation of compositional density jumps in compressible mantle convection simulations" (1.0) Paul Tackley and ETH Zurich https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15115817

Paul J. Tackley

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Short summary
Large density jumps in numerical simulations of solid Earth dynamics can cause numerical oscillations. An effective method to prevent these at a free surface already exists. Here this is tested for compositional layers deeper in the mantle. The stabilisation method works effectively if density gradients due purely to compositional gradients are used, but produces severe artefacts if total density is used.
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