This hands-on workshop is aimed at graduate students in tectonics and structural geology who have a good understanding of the geological processes the operate during lithospheric deformation. During the workshop, participants will be introduced to the basics of geodynamic modeling using ASPECT: a community open-source code to simulate 2D and 3D problems in thermal convection within planetary interiors and tectonics. The focus will be on modeling continental rifting processes at lithospheric scale in 2D. Throughout a comprehensive case study, participants will learn how use geological and geophysical observations to design and constrain 2D geodynamic models of lithospheric extension.

Objectives

At the end of the three days, participants should know:

• the basics of geodynamic modeling, its philosophy, workflow, benefits, and limitations;
• how to design, constrain, and run 2D models of continental extension using ASPECT; and
• visualize model outputs.

Instructor
Dr. Mohamed Gouiza, UC Davis / CIG