One of the projects for my sabbatical is to learn Python. Luckily its easier than I had thought it would be, at least so far. I have started making some jupyter notebooks with useful geodynamics-related calculations, especially related to subduction. For example, the sinking velocity for a Stokes ellipsoid (rather than a sphere), corner flow and plate bending forces. I am posting these jupyter notebooks on my web-page so others can download them and use them in their research or teaching. For me, I’ve found that the notebooks are a great way combine my thinking, derivation of equations, the actual calculation and figures.

Subduction is not just about mountain building, volcanoes and driving the plate tectonics systems, its also about biology. Check out this video following an expedition of young geo-biologist, geo-chemist, and geologists exploring how and where biology thrives in the Costa Rica Subduction Zone.

Dr. Billen will be giving a research presentation, “Spontaneous Arc Rifting” on Monday, November 13th at 4 pm in the Geophysics Department at the University of Muenster.  The talk will present background on how rifting of arcs evolves to form back arc spreading centers, previous models for how this occurs, numerical models of subduction with a new mode of arc rifting and the implications for thermal structure and melting during rifting, and changes in plate motions. This talk is based on a paper that is in press at Geophysical Research Letters.