Temperature versus density scalings in different material models

Hi,

Current situation:
I am currently building a 3D model of the Earth’s density inside ASPECT. I’ve build a dataset by reading in density values from two separate datasets (dependent on radius) and scaling those density values to temperature values to be able to load them in ASPECT using “Initial temperature model/model name = ascii data”. This works as in that a retrieve the initial density values from the two initial models. I am currently using the “simple” material model to scale from temperature to density. This is calculated using: ρ(T) = ρ_ref [1 - α(T - T_ref)].

Current problem/goal:
However, this current model returns nonsensible (non-Earth-like) temperature values. I would like to be able to scale my density dataset using some kind of reference profiles to temperature values, from where ASPECT recalculates the original density values, while still having sensible (Earth-like) temperature values. Preferably, I would be able to have full control over the background temperature profile so I can set an adiabatic profile in the mantle and thermal boundary layers in the lithosphere and at the CMB. To summarize: I have a dataset containing absolute density values which I would like to scale to absolute temperature values using probably two reference profiles (temperature and density) over which I have full control. How can I implement these profiles in ASPECT such that it returns the absolute density values after reading in the scaled temperature values from an ASCII data file?

Approach:
My first idea was to use a different material model. However, I do not fully understand the different material models and therefore do not know which other material model would be the best choice in this situation. Do you have any idea which material model would be a good choice here? Or can you think of another approach that could work in this situation? Please let me know! Thanks in advance!

Sincerely,

Rens

Hi Rens,

have you had a look at the cookbook that describes how to model “2D compressible convection with a reference profile and material properties from Burn-Man”?

That would allow you to read in reference profiles for both temperature and density (and they don’t have to be exported from Burnman, they just have to be in an ascii format). Is that along the lines of what you had in mind?

Best regards,
Juliane