Quantitative analysis tools have become increasingly common in structural geology. Imaging techniques such as computed tomography are used to build highly accurate, three-dimensional models of geological structures. Structural measurements can be facilitated and often accelerated owing to photogrammetric methods of reconstructing the studied outcrops. Geological structures can then be classified using statistical methods. Experimental, analytical, and numerical techniques can be used to develop quantitative mechanical models of rock deformation processes, which are often coupled to chemical, hydrological or thermal processes. With the advent of modern computing power, high-resolution models and systematic simulations are nowadays feasible.

Public information:
In this session, we want to bridge the gap between observational methods and models through quantitative analysis/modelling. The displays are grouped into observational methods, methods that link the observations to processes, numerical models of deformation processes and link between different processes with theory and experiments.

Geologic processes are generally too slow, too rare, or too deep to be observed in-situ and to be monitored with a resolution high enough to understand their dynamics. Analogue experiments and numerical simulation have thus become an integral part of the Earth explorer's toolbox to select, formulate, and test hypotheses on the origin and evolution of geological phenomena.

To foster synergy between the rather independently evolving experimentalists and modellers we provide a multi-disciplinary platform to discuss research on tectonics, structural geology, rock mechanics, geodynamics, volcanology, geomorphology, and sedimentology.

We therefore invite contributions demonstrating the state-of-the-art in analogue and numerical / analytical modelling on a variety of spatial and temporal scales, varying from earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions to sedimentary processes, plate tectonics and landscape evolution. We especially welcome those presentations that discuss model strengths and weaknesses, challenge the existing limits, or compare/combine the different modelling techniques to realistically simulate and better understand the Earth's behaviour.

Public information:
TS10.3/GD10.5/GM9.6
Analogue and numerical modelling of tectonic processes

By: Frank Zwaan, Fabio Corbi, Ágnes Király, Valentina Magni, Michael Rudolf
Link: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2020/session/34918
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Dear participants of EGU session TS10.3 on modelling of tectonic processes,

We will start the discussion at 10:45 CET on Monday 4 May, and it will last until 12:30 CET, although the chat will remain active for 30 min more.

This is how we plan to carry on the session:

• Every contribution will get about 5-10 minutes of discussion
• The conveners will introduce the contribution (title, authors,..)
• The presenting authors will give a short summary/introduction (2-3 sentences) of their work (@ authors, please prepare these in advance to ensure a smooth transition).
• Discussion with participants


If time permits, we will have a more general discussion after all contributions have been presented.

Here’s the order of the presentations:

• Withers & Cruden
• Hughes et al.
• Noguera & Marques
• Schöfish et al.
• Mannu et al.
• Maestrelli et al.
• Avila-Paez et al.
• Wang et al.
• Saha et al.
• Henriquet et al.
• Jiménez-Bonilla et al.

We are looking forward to meeting you in the session chat box!

Geological and geophysical data sets are in essence the output of physical processes governing the Earth’s evolution. Such data sets are widely varied and range from the internal structure of the Earth (e.g. seismic tomography), plate kinematics (e.g. GPS), composition of geomaterials (e.g. petrography), estimation of physical conditions and dating of key geological events (e.g. thermobarometry), thermal state of the Earth (e.g heat-flow measurements) to more shallow processes such as natural and “engineered” reservoir dynamics and waste sequestration in the subsurface (e.g. seismic imaging).

Combining the abundant data to process-based numerical models fosters our understanding of the dynamical Earth. Process-based models are powerful tools to predict the evolution of complex natural systems resolving the feedbacks among various physical processes. Integrating high-quality data into direct numerical simulations leads to a constructive workflow to further constrain the key parameters within the models. Innovative inversion strategies, linking forward dynamic models with observables, are topics triggering a growing interest within the community.

The complexity of geological systems arises from their multi-physics nature, as they combine hydrological, thermal, chemical and mechanical. Multi-physics couplings are prone to nonlinear interactions ultimately leading to spontaneous localisation of flow and deformation. Understanding the couplings among those processes requires the development of appropriate tools to capture spontaneous localisation and represents a challenging though essential research direction.

We invite contributions from the following two complementary themes:

#1 Computational advances associated with
- alternative spatial and/or temporal discretisation for existing forward/inverse models
- scalable HPC implementations of new and existing methodologies (GPUs / multi-core)
- solver and preconditioner developments
- AI / Machine learning-based approaches
- code and methodology comparisons (“benchmarks”)
- open source implementations for the community

#2 Physics advances associated with
- development of partial differential equations to describe geological processes
- inversion strategies and adjoint-based modelling
- numerical model validation through comparison with observables (data)
- scientific discovery enabled by 2D and 3D modelling
- utilisation of coupled models to explore nonlinear interactions