Author Archives: billen

Jupyter Notebooks for Geodynamics

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.

Research Presentation at Universität Münster, Geophysik

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.

Presentations at GSA 2017

Strangely, I have never been to GSA before, but this year I am making up for this and presenting 3 talks and 1 poster at GSA.

Talks:

A SYNTHESIS OF RECENT RESULTS FROM GEODYNAMIC MODELS OF SUBDUCTION INITIATION AND TERMINATION

HOT SLAB MELTS FROM OLD SUBDUCTING LITHOSPHERE: SPONTANEOUS ARC RIFTING CAUSED BY TIME-DEPENDENT EVOLUTION OF THE MANTLE WEDGE CORNER

THE EFFECT OF SPREADING RIDGES AND BUOYANT CRUST ON THE DYNAMICS OF SUBDUCTION

Poster

EVOLUTION OF SLAB AND WEDGE THERMAL STRUCTURE IN TIME-DEPENDENT DYNAMIC MODELS OF SUBDUCTION

New Mode of Arc/Forearc Rifting

Numerical models of subduction show that spontaneous rifting of the arc or forearc may occur due to an in situ instability in the mantle wedge corner. This new mode of arc/forearc rifting is explained in a journal article by Dr. Billen, that is now in press at Geophysical Research Letters.