[CIG-SHORT] Updating CIG short-term tectonics priorities

[Brad Aagaard]

Hi all:

NOTE: Feedback is requested BEFORE Mon May 21.

The CIG Science Steering Committee will be meeting next Mon and Tue to revise 
the rolling five-year Strategic Plan. There are currently two years left in 
the (initial) NSF funding. The SSC would like to shift from relatively 
independent software development in each of the working groups towards a more 
synergistic approach. This synergistic approach will likely involve common 
science goals (for example, driving a crustal deformation model with a mantle 
convection model) and common software implementation goals (for example, use 
of common components).

I would appreciate feedback/discussion on priorities for short-term tectonics 
within CIG in the context of greater synergy across the working groups. 
Specifically, prioritizing the list of ideas below. Of course, new ideas are 
also welcome. Below I have listed some of the ideas proposed over the last 
year for upcoming priorities as well as an update on PyLith development. 

PLEASE PROVIDE FEEBACK BY SENDING EMAIL TO cig-short at geodynamics.org.

Thanks,
Brad

IDEAS FOR SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITIES
a. Adaptive mesh refinement
b. Common interface/implementation of physical property databases
c. Coupling models of different physical processes (e.g., mantle convection 
and crustal deformation)
d. Common software components (use of PETSc solvers, Pyre framework, build 
systems) [this is more of an implementation issue]
e. Benchmarking tools

PYLITH DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Version 1.0 (planned release at CFEM workshop)

Summary: Initial release of code for both quasi-static and dynamic modeling. 
This is a completely new version of PyLith written in C++ and Python which 
combines the functionality of PyLith 0.8 and EqSim. User input is 
dramatically simplified via direct import of meshes from CUBIT and LaGriT and 
use of a spatial database to specify all boundary conditions.

Features:
  * Solves quasi-static or dynamic deformation problems using implicit and 
explicit time-stepping schemes, respectively.
  * 2-D and 3-D Cartesian geometry (1-D also included but not very useful)
  * Dirichlet boundary conditions
  * Kinematic fault boundary conditions (specification of slip as a function 
of time)
  * Elastic and linear Maxwell viscoelastic bulk constitutive models
  * Output in VTK files
  * Runs in parallel

Version 1.1 (planned release in late Summer 2007)

New features:
  * Dynamic fault boundary conditions (fault constitutive models)
  * Nonlinear viscoelastic bulk constitutive models
  * Absorbing boundary conditions (may be included in version 1.0)
  * Traction boundary conditions (may be included in version 1.0)
  * Output to HDF5 files