[CIG-SHORT] Reminder: CIG Pylith and Gale tutorials at Earthscope 2011

[Brad Aagaard]

CIG TUTORIALS AT EARTHSCOPE 2011.

CIG will be conducting two Pre-Meeting Tutorials at the Earthscope
National Meeting. Registration for the CIG Pre-Workshop Tutorials will 
be done directly through CIG, and is separate from the Earthscope 
National Meeting.

Please go to 
http://www.geodynamics.org/cig/community/workshops/earthscope2011/index_html
for more information on the tutorial sessions, as well as the 
Registration Form.


****************

Training Session for the GALE Computational Software in Tectonics and
Geophysics

Date: Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 8:30 to 5pm.
Location: AT&T Executive Education Center, University of Texas at Austin
Room: TBA

Convener: Walter Landry, Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics.

An important component of interpreting the wealth of data available to
geologists is the use of computational methodologies to simulate 
tectonic processes. In this training session, the NSF-sponsored 
Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics (CIG) will focus on 
training of new users in the use of the tectonics modeling software Gale.

Gale is a 2D/3D parallel code that solves problems in orogenesis, 
rifting, and subduction with a variety of boundary conditions, including 
free surfaces and coupling to surface erosion models.  Gale is bundled 
with a number of rheologies and extensive documentation, and is 
extensively benchmarked.  Precompiled binaries make it easy to start 
using Gale on Windows, Mac, or Linux laptops and desktops. Thorough 
installation notes allow users to then install Gale on the largest 
supercomputers and run the same input files.

Gale is free software, requiring no fees to acquire or run, and is
developed by CIG in conjunction with the Victorian Partnership for 
Advanced Computing and Monash University.  Gale is available at
http://geodynamics.org/cig/software/packages/long/gale/

During the session, participants will be given background theory, an
overview of the code including its strengths and weaknesses for solving
geodynamic problems, and instruction on downloading and running these 
codes (including running them on the NSF TeraGrid), and post-processing
(visualizing) the results.  As time permits, the workshop will also 
cover how to implement new rheologies and custom surface processes in 
Gale.

********************


Training in use of Crustal Deformation Modeling Software (PyLith)

Date: Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m
Location: AT&T Executive Education Center, University of Texas at Austin
Room: TBA

Conveners: Brad Aagaard (USGS), Charles Williams (GNS Science), Matt
Knepley (UChicago)

Data from the US Array and PBO components of EarthScope allow an
extraordinary opportunity to better understand Earth structure and
dynamics. An important component of interpreting such data is the use of
computational methodologies to simulate tectonic processes. The
Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics (CIG), an NSF center, will
provide a full-day of training for new users in the use of software that
can be applied to the interpretation and modeling of EarthScope data. 
The training session will be held May 17, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The training will focus on the PyLith crustal deformation modeling 
software – available at 
(http://www.geodynamics.org/cig/software/pylith/) while also providing 
an introduction to the use of the CUBIT meshing package 
(http://cubit.sandia.gov).

PyLith is open-source finite-element software for 2-D and 3-D dynamic 
and quasi-static modeling of crustal deformation. The target 
applications span spatial scales ranging from tens of meters to hundreds 
of kilometers and temporal scales for dynamic modeling ranging from 
milliseconds to minutes or temporal scales for quasi-static modeling 
ranging from minutes to thousands of years. Current features include 
prescribed fault ruptures with multiple sequential earthquakes and 
aseismic creep, spontaneous fault ruptures with a variety of fault 
constitutive models, time-dependent Dirichlet and Neumann boundary 
conditions, absorbing boundary conditions, time-dependent point forces, 
and gravitational body forces.  PyLith supports infinitesimal and small 
strain formulations for linear elastic rheologies, linear and 
generalized Maxwell viscoelastic rheologies, power-law viscoelastic 
rheologies, and Drucker-Prager elastoplastic rheologies.

During the training session, participants will be given background 
theory, an overview of the codes including their strengths and 
weaknesses for solving geodynamic problems, and instruction on 
constructing a finite-element mesh, running a simulation, and 
post-processing (visualizing) the results.


Brad Aagaard