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Role of Korteweg stresses in geodynamics
Author(s) -
Morra Gabriele,
Yuen David A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl032860
Subject(s) - geodynamics , geology , geophysics , cauchy stress tensor , convection , mantle (geology) , fragmentation (computing) , mechanics , statistical physics , seismology , physics , classical mechanics , tectonics , computer science , operating system
It has come to our attention that the constitutive relationship used in the modeling of geodynamical flow problems with strongly variable physical properties, should have additional terms in the stress tensor, known in the literature as Korteweg stresses (K‐stresses). These stresses arising at diffuse interfaces, which can best be explained in terms of density gradients, have already been mentioned in the literature for more than one hundred years, but have not received attention recently until a combination of experimental and numerical evidence have confirmed their existence. We will discuss the important potential role these new terms have for geophysics. It has many ramifications in geodynamics, ranging from mantle convection to earthquakes and magma fragmentation.