# ASPECT Newsletter #245

**URL:** <https://community.geodynamics.org/t/aspect-newsletter-245/4628>\
**Category:** ASPECT\
**Created:** [September 24, 2026, 10:00am UTC](https://community.geodynamics.org/t/aspect-newsletter-245/4628 "2026-09-24T10:00:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rgassmoeller](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/community.geodynamics.org/rgassmoeller/32/49_2.png) [@rgassmoeller](https://community.geodynamics.org/u/rgassmoeller)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 10:00am UTC](https://community.geodynamics.org/t/aspect-newsletter-245/4628/1 "2026-09-24T10:00:44Z")

</div>

Hello everyone!

This is ASPECT newsletter #245.  
It automatically reports recently merged features and discussions about the ASPECT mantle convection code.

Below you find a list of recently proposed or merged features:

[#7388](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7388): Update viscoplastic doc on using old stress fields. (implemented by [alarshi](https://github.com/alarshi))  
[#7387](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7387): Update Darcy Documentation (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92))  
[#7386](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7386): Changes to render math mode correctly in sphinx. (implemented by [alarshi](https://github.com/alarshi); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7385](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7385): Update viscoelastic material model documentation. (implemented by [alarshi](https://github.com/alarshi); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7384](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7384): Add 3 new publications. (implemented by [bangerth](https://github.com/bangerth); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7383](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7383): Add Path Fix to Landlab.cc (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7382](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7382): --validate performs more checks (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7381](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7381): [www] fix database (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7380](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7380): update citation info (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7379](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7379): update release tasks (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7377](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7377): [WIP] REUSE machine- and human-readable license headers (implemented by [anne-glerum](https://github.com/anne-glerum))  
[#7376](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7376): implement global-coarsening GMG mesh deformation (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7375](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7375): tests/geoid\_freesurface: refine once (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7374](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7374): www: add 3.1.0 (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7373](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7373): add ASPECT release bib entries (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7371](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7371): (WIP) Add WorldBuilder prescribed solution model (implemented by [lhy11009](https://github.com/lhy11009))  
[#7370](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7370): Add tutorial. (implemented by [alarshi](https://github.com/alarshi); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7369](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7369): [3.1] link to new zenodo DOI (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7368](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7368): [3.1] katz freezing (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7367](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7367): Mesh deformation: refactor local smoothing (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7366](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7366): pressure scaling change: force matrix re-assembly (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7365](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7365): release task: update version and changes.h post release (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7364](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7364): improve documentation of freezing in katz reaction model (implemented by [jdannberg](https://github.com/jdannberg); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7363](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7363): Format header file of Katz2003 mantle melting parametrization (implemented by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7362](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7362): Add Function for Sending non-solution Variables in Landlab.cc (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7361](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7361): fix modified beam benchmark (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7360](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7360): fix CPO benchmark data directory (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7359](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7359): Add Missing if Statement to landlab.cc (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7358](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7358): fix benchmarks/free\_surface\_tractions/viscoelastic (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7357](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7357): fix clang-tidy warning (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7356](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7356): gmg-tests benchmarks: box 3d variations with results (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7355](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7355): Add Timing Statistics to Landlab and PUI (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92))  
[#7354](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7354): Fix “Use fractional melting” (implemented by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92))  
[#7352](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7352): initial mesh deformation substeps for steep topography (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [danieldouglas92](https://github.com/danieldouglas92))  
[#7348](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7348): Release notes 3.1 (implemented by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7336](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7336): Refactor matrix-free solve for mesh deformation (implemented by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7293](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7293): Fix serializating the random number generator for the CPO Bingham particle property. (implemented by [bangerth](https://github.com/bangerth); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7288](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7288): Ease the way to use base interpolation schemes for particle interpolators (implemented by [Theo-Geo](https://github.com/Theo-Geo); reviewed by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller))  
[#7032](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7032): Fix MPI communication with empty FastScape data (implemented by [sibiaoliu](https://github.com/sibiaoliu); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))  
[#7007](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/pull/7007): Only require old stresses for elasticity if necessary (implemented by [gassmoeller](https://github.com/gassmoeller); reviewed by [tjhei](https://github.com/tjhei))

And this is a list of recently opened or closed discussions:

[#7378](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/7378) Update Particles Based on Boundary Conditions? (opened)  
[#7372](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/7372) Require deal.II 9.7.0 (opened)  
[#7353](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/7353) pressure scaling update correct? (opened)  
[#7337](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/7337) Bad Mapping for Initial Mesh Deformation with Very Steep Initial Topography (closed)  
[#5545](https://github.com/geodynamics/aspect/issues/5545) ASPECT 3: Run full cookbooks for all complicated models (closed)

A list of all major changes since the last release can be found at [this website](https://aspect.geodynamics.org/doc/doxygen/changes_current.html).

Thanks for being part of the community!

Let us know about questions, problems, bugs or just share your experience by visting our [forum](https://community.geodynamics.org/c/aspect), or by opening issues or pull requests on [Github](https://www.github.com/geodynamics/aspect).  
Additional information can be found at our [official website](https://aspect.geodynamics.org/), and CIG’s [ASPECT website](https://geodynamics.org/cig/software/aspect/).