THERMIC: a 2-D finite-element tool to solve conductive and advective heat transfer problems in Earth Sciences ?
We present a C-language program, THERMIC, that solves the 2-dimensional (pseudo 3D for axi-symmetric cases) conductive and advective heat-transfer equation. THERMIC uses a finite-element method that takes into account realistic geometries, heterogeneous material properties and various boundary and initial conditions. As it also allows for latent heat (heat production due to crystallisation) and for thermal properties, such as thermal conductivity, to be dependent on temperature, it is particularly suited to heat transfer problems encountered in the Earth Sciences. We present sample applications from the various problems already treated by THERMIC (cooling of magma chambers and dykes, the study of a granitic magma ascent or of pore water flow in sedimentary basins). Successfully tested on SUN and SGI UNIX workstations and on Microsoft Windows 95, 98 and NT 4.0 system based PCs, the THERMIC package can be downloaded from the web (THERMIC home page: http://www.ipgp.jussieu.fr/UFP/thermic/html/Thermic_home.html) and contains source files, makefiles and environment files as well as executable files for both systems and an html directory with help and example files.
heat conduction finite element magma cooling nonlinear fluid flow