A Three-Dimensional Version of the Free Surface Capturing Discretization for Staggered Grid Finite Difference Schemes: Implementation into StagYY

In order to treat a free surface in models of lithosphere and mantle dynamics that use a fixed Eulerian grid it is typical to use "sticky air", a layer of low-viscosity, low-density material above the solid surface (e.g. Crameri et al., 2012). This can, however, cause numerical problems, including poor solver convergence due to the huge viscosity jump and small time-steps due to high velocities in the air. Additionally, it is not completely realistic because the assumed viscosity of the air layer is typically similar to that of rock in the asthenosphere so the surface is not stress free.  

In order to overcome these problems, Duretz et al. (2016) introduced and tested a method for treating the free surface that instead detects and applies special conditions at the free surface. This avoids the huge viscosity jump and having to solve for velocities in the air. They applied it to a two-dimensional staggered grid finite difference / finite volume scheme, a discretization that is in common use for modelling mantle and lithosphere dynamics. Here I document the application of this approach to a three-dimensional spherical staggered grid solver in the mantle simulation code StagYY. Some adjustments had to be made to the two-dimensional scheme documented in Duretz et al. (2016) in order to avoid problems due to undefined velocities for certain boundary topographies. The approach was applied not only to the Stokes solver but also to the temperature solver, including the implementation of a mixed radiative/conductive boundary condition applicable to surface magma oceans/lakes.

References

Crameri, F., H. Schmeling, G. J. Golabek, T. Duretz, R. Orendt, S. J. H. Buiter, D. A. May, B. J. P. Kaus, T. V. Gerya, and P. J. Tackley (2012), A comparison of numerical surface topography calculations in geodynamic modelling: an evaluation of the ‘sticky air’ method, Geophysical Journal International,189(1), 38-54, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2012.05388.x.

Duretz, T., D. A. May, and P. Yamato (2016), A free surface capturing discretization for the staggered grid finite difference scheme, Geophysical Journal International, 204(3), 1518-1530, doi:10.1093/gji/ggv526.